Specialist Product Liability Lawyers At Irwin Mitchell Investigate Cause Of Explosion

A health conscious film producer is taking legal action after suffering burns on his arms and face when his NutriBullet exploded when he was making a smoothie mix recommended from their recipe book.

Richard Moore, from South East London, and his wife, Ramla, were blending a peanut butter recipe taken from the NutriBullet website when the blades starting moving faster than usual and smoke began to come from the extractor.  

Richard turned the NutriBullet off but it was too late and the machine exploded and shattered, showering shards of plastic and burning liquid into his knuckles and onto his face. He was left in extreme pain with burns to his face, neck, and hands, leaving a ball-like blister from the accident which only happened last month.

The couple have now instructed specialist product liability lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate what caused the device to explode and to seek support for his rehabilitation and recovery from his burns.

Richard said: “It felt like my hands were on fire. I was told that the burning liquid had effectively rested on the top of the nerves without actually destroying them, so that it just continued to burn the nerve. Apparently it would have been less painful if it had gone straight through the flesh.

“I haven’t had a full night’s sleep since the incident because of the pain I’m in. I get around 3-4 hours’ sleep on a good night which leaves me not having the energy to do a day’s work, so I’ve had to turn down jobs which is hard as a freelancer as you don’t know when the next job will come along.”

“As well as the physical pain it was terrifying and I’m worried that it could happen to others.”

The NutriBullet food processor allows health conscious consumers to make smoothies, soups and shakes from grinding vegetables, fruits and nuts. Last year, retailer John Lewis sold one NutriBullet every 30 seconds in the run up to Christmas.

In August this year, Richard bought the 15 piece NutriBullet Pro 900 series extractor from the online NutriBullet shop via a well-known online retailer.

Richard had been following a vigorous exercise and healthy eating regime for a long period of time, and as he boxes in his spare time, he researched the various models of the NutriBullet brand to see which one best suited his needs.

After first using the NutriBullet in August, Richard and Ramla, used it for making soups, and smoothies, and it appeared to function well.

The couple used the NutriBullet in accordance to the instructions and did not fill the container over the level advised.

Exercise was a big part of Richard’s life with daily workouts, but on trips to the gym since the accident, his hands began to bleed and he is overcome with a loss of energy very quickly.

Matthew Newbould, expert product liability lawyer from Irwin Mitchell representing Richard, said: 

Expert Opinion

“NutriBullets are a popular gift all year round for those who are fitness fanatics.

“It isn’t clear at this stage exactly why the machine exploded; we won’t know the reason for that until we have had the product examined by an expert. We do know that NutriBullet have been the victim of some counterfeiting recently, and that is one possible explanation, although Richard did buy this directly from one of the NutriBullet’s authorised seller sites.

“Richard has been badly affected by what happened, with loss of confidence from his scarring, not being able to exercise which was a big part of his life and mental wellbeing, as well as loss of earnings which has put further strain on him as he provides for his wife.

“There have been numerous product liability issues this year which have not only caused injuries to those affected but in some extreme cases family homes have been destroyed from defective products such as washing machines, hoverboards or e-cigarettes.

“Richard’s case illustrates that even when buying through a reputable site, and buying a well-established branded product, consumers can still experience serious issues with products, and even day-to-day kitchen products. We hope our investigations will help shed light on what happened so that the risk of similar incidents can be reduced.”
Matthew Newbould - Associate Solicitor

Emma Drackford, Head of Communications at Electrical Safety First, a leading charity for product safety, commented:

“As Richard’s experience shows, electrical faults, even in smaller kitchen appliances, can cause serious injuries. While it is too early to comment on the cause of the fault, it is important for people to think about their safety before buying or using an electrical product.  Richard made the correct choice of purchasing through a reputable retailer; as a result the product can be traced and if there is a fault with this product the manufacturer can investigate immediately.

“We advise anyone who is buying a new electrical product to purchase from a reputable retailer and to read product instructions carefully before use. Furthermore, if you notice anything unusual about how your appliance is working (e.g. smoke) our advice is to turn off the power supply and contact the manufacturer immediately. Never ignore these signs.” 

Irwin Mitchell represents hundreds of clients who have suffered injuries and damage to property as a result of defective products. In many cases, the damage caused has been life changing.

The law firm’s #SafetyAsStandard campaign raises awareness of inadequately designed or poorly manufactured products and aims to strengthen the laws to protect consumers in the UK.