Cooking spray burn victim awarded $7.1 million in damages

CHICAGO — A jury ordered Conagra Brands to pay $7.1 million to a woman who was injured in 2017 as a result of cooking spray ignited in a kitchen.

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The verdict was ruled in favor of Tammy Reese from Pennsylvania, according to The Associated Press. Her case is the first of many from burn victims across the United States who have accidents involving Conagra-made cooking sprays including Pam.

The Cook County Circuit Court verdict said that Conagra Brands must pay $3.1 million in compensatory damages plus $4 million in punitive damages, the AP reported.

Conagra Brands is the parent company for Pam, Marie Callender’s, Reddi-Wip, Swiss Miss, Hunt’s and many other brands.

Reese was working in a kitchen at a social club in May 2017. When she was working, a can of Swell cooking spray “suddenly and without warning” had exploded “into a fireball, causing burns and injuries,” according to a lawsuit filed on Reese’s behalf, according to the AP. Reese suffered second-degree burns to her head, arms, face and hands. One of her lawyers, Craig Smith, said the scar tissue continues to cause issues for her six years later.

Smith said that there are more than 50 pending cases against Conagra from other burn victims, the AP reported. Smith also said that the company allegedly refused to issue any recalls for the cans found “defective.

The company said in a statement emailed to the AP that it disagreed with the verdict. They also said that the “safety of our products and our consumers is always a top priority of Conagra.”

“We continue to stand by our cooking spray products, which are safe and effective when used correctly, as instructed. We are evaluating our legal options, including appeal,” Conagra said in the statement.

“This is really the beginning of a serious problem for Conagra,” Peter Flowers, another attorney for Reese said, according to the AP.