Sig Sauer Sued by Retired Philadelphia Police Lieutenant/SWAT Member Seriously Wounded by His "Dangerously Defective" P320 Pistol the Company Failed to Recall
SCRANTON, Pa., June 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A negligence and product liability lawsuit seeking compensatory and punitive damages has been filed in federal court against gunmaker Sig Sauer by a retired Philadelphia police SWAT member who was seriously wounded last year when his "dangerously defective" P320 pistol "drop-fired" without his hand on the weapon. The complaint was filed yesterday on behalf of police Lieutenant James Hall (Ret.) by attorneys from Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky. The law firm now represents more than 85 Sig Sauer P320 victims/plaintiffs across the country.
Sig Sauer was allegedly aware that its P320 pistols were prone to "drop-firing", a defect causing a dropped gun to fire, resulting in devastating injuries. At that point, Sig Sauer faced a crucial corporate decision: whether to issue a recall of the weapons to alert customers of the defect and remove them from the market. The complaint (Hall v. Sig Sauer, Inc. / US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, 3:23-cv-00978-KM) alleges that Sig Sauer decided not to issue a recall, leaving customers throughout the country, and their families, friends, and the public, at risk of the known hazard.
Sig Sauer instead issued what it termed a "Voluntary Upgrade", where customers could return their P320s for company-modified versions. Despite identifying the drop-fire hazard and redesigning the weapon, Sig Sauer astonishingly told its customers the P320 was still safe in its current configuration and design. It is believed that less than 10% of P320 owners opted for the "Voluntary Upgrade." Pre-suit investigation revealed that many users, including Lt. Hall, did not know about the "Voluntary Upgrade" notice, and those that did were misled by Sig Sauer into believing the upgrade was not necessary.
Lt. Hall, a Schuylkill County resident, is a 25-year veteran of the Philadelphia police force who specialized in SWAT tactical operations. He has always greatly respected firearms safety and purchased the P320 because he thought the gun would protect him, not endanger him. His incident occurred when the gun fell from his waist to the ground and discharged a bullet that struck his upper right arm and shoulder, shattering his bones. He was rushed emergently to the hospital, and spent the next 63 days in medical facilities fighting for his life. He underwent several surgeries and developed serious infections in and around the surgical sites and gunshot wounds. Tragically, there are still eight bullet fragments in his surgically repaired shoulder that may never be able to be removed.
Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky attorney Robert W. Zimmerman, said following the filing, "Lt. Hall dedicated his life to protecting and serving his community. He retired with honor, and like many retired law enforcement officers, purchased a pistol for personal protection. Tragically, Sig Sauer left a minefield of defective guns in our communities rather than issuing a safety recall of the weapon when it learned of the dangers. We have seen again and again that Sig Sauer failed to act to protect the many law enforcement officers, federal agents and civilians that have been victimized by the P320. This case is another stark reminder that inaction has consequences."
Attorney Larry Bendesky, of SMB, noted the latest filing comes on the heels of the two mass action filings by his firm against Sig Sauer on behalf of 40 un-commanded gunshot victims across the country. "Sig Sauer was aware of the danger the P320 posed to users through drop-fires. Customers trusted that Sig Sauer would deliver a safe product that would keep them safe, yet Lt. Hall and others were left endangered by this gun."
Incredibly, Sig Sauer continues to defiantly assert that somehow the owners-victims ? their customers ? are responsible for getting shot. We intend to prove that Sig Sauer's inadequate design has caused these tragedies."
The complaint states, "Sig Sauer manufactures the only single-action pistols on the market that are not equipped with any form of external manual safety."
Besides a copy of the newly-filed lawsuit, additional related information on the Sig Sauer litigation ? and the gun's troubled history - can be found at www.smbb.com/SigSauer.
CONTACT: Robert W. Zimmerman/ [email protected] / 215-575-3898; or Steph Rosenfeld/[email protected]/ 215-514-4101
SOURCE Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky P.C.
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