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Indiana Man Files Lawsuit Against Maker of PAM Cooking Spray

A common cooking spray that you may have in your kitchen right now could be dangerous.

An Indianapolis man, who is also a medical student, is one of six people suing Conagra, the company that manufactures PAM and other canned cooking sprays, after being severely burned and injured when a can of the cooking spray exploded or caught fire.

According to USA Today, the injuries are serious — in addition to burns, one person was blinded in one eye. The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Conagra removed the can from “active production earlier this year, three years after introducing it.”

Conagra has not issued a recall on the old design, and maintains that “when Pam is used correctly, as instructed, it is a 100% safe and effective product.”

The lawsuits claim that the alleged faulty cans were “were designed and manufactured so that when the can buckled and the u-shaped vents on the bottom of the canister opened, the internal contents of the canister would escape through the vents and the pressure inside the can would be reduced,” and that these cans were “10 ounces or larger, primarily sold at wholesale retail chains.” In each incident, the can had been placed on a shelf, counter, or cart near an oven or stove.

As a consumer warning, it’s always a good idea to keep aerosol containers away from open flame and stored below temperatures of 120 degrees.

Further, consumers should go ahead and throw out any old cans of Conagra cooking spray they have in the kitchen, particularly if they are 10 ounces or larger, or you can’t remember when you bought them, or bought them within the last three years.

This is also a good time to make sure all your aerosols—PAM or not—are stored at a safe distance away from heat sources, such as shelves or cabinets that are not adjacent to or above your stove and oven.

People also use cooking spray on their grills.  Caution should also be taken when spraying a hot grill with the spray and/or storing the can near the grill itself.

The attorneys at Theodoros & Rooth have decades of experience handling claims for defective products of any kind, including medicines.   If you have a concern about any type of product that you believe has caused serious injury or even death, please contact us immediately.  We will analyze your case and if you have one, Theodoros & Rooth will aggressive represent you until justice is served.   There is never a fee for the initial meeting.

Sources:  WRTV, Indianapolis; USA Today, Chicago Tribune