On October 22, 2019, Federal Cartridge Company issued a recall for their Blackhawk T-Series L2C gun holsters. According to the recall, number 20-010, the holster’s design can change the position of the safety switch on the guns; this can happen without the user ever noticing. If the position of the safety switch is changed, pulling the trigger could result in the gun firing unexpectedly (an engaged safety switch is supposed to prevent guns from firing). This product defect poses a risk of injury to users and bystanders.
According to the recall, approximately 3,100 of the gun holsters were affected by the recall. The gun holsters are made of molded plastic. The recalled holsters have “210213 A” printed on one of the sides. They are designed to be used with the Sig Sauer P320 and P250.
The recalled gun holsters were sold at Bass Pro Shops and other sporting goods stores as well as online at www.blackhawk.com. The gun holsters were available from June 2019 to August 2019 for approximately $65 each.
The company claims that no injuries have been reported. The company is urging consumers to stop using the defective gun holsters and contact the company for a full refund. However, it is possible that there have been many unreported incidents – as well as unreported injuries.
If you or a member of your family suffered harm as a result of the product defect mentioned above, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance as soon as possible. Depending on the details surrounding you’re the incident and the harm that you suffered, you might have grounds to pursue a claim. If you would like to learn more about the possibility of pursuing a defective product claim for the harm that you or a member of your family suffered, contact the experts at Normandie Law Firm.
Normandie Law Firm is a personal injury law firm with many years of experience handling all sorts of claims, including defective product claims. Our lawyers are ready to evaluate your claim and provide you with the legal assistance that you need to take action against the company that negligently contributed to the harm that you suffered. Contact us at your earliest convenience.
The Dangers of the Blackhawk Holster Hazard
According to the recall, the design of the holster can change the position of the safety. Specifically, if the safety of a gun is on, it could be switched off as the gun is placed on the holster. This means that the gun could fire at even the slightest touch of the trigger. It is also possible someone will pull the trigger thinking that the safety is still on, which could be very dangerous. If the gun is accidentally shot, unsuspecting parties could suffer a number of injuries.
Some of the possible harm that could result from guns being accidentally shot could include the following:
- Flesh wounds
- Nerve, muscle, and ligament damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Shattered bones
- Hemorrhaging
- Organ damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis (paraplegia/quadriplegia)
- Coma
- Death
Harm associated to the defective gun holster is more likely to occur in situations in where it is common to wear a gun holster – such as in open-carry states or in shooting ranges, for instance. Although individuals might believe that they are being safe with their weapons, the defective holster could disable the safety and put many people at risk of injury.
What is Product Liability?
Based on product liability, all companies that make products available for consumers to purchase, such as Blackhawk, have a duty of care towards their consumers. They must ensure that all their products are completely safe to be used by their consumers. To do so, they must inspect and test all their products; sometimes this has to be done multiple times. As soon as they identify any hazards present in their products, they must act to address the hazards. If they fail to do so and they make the defective product available for consumers to purchase, they are actually breaching their duty of care towards consumers and putting them at risk of injury.
In most cases, it is a breach of duty (failure to identify or address hazards) that leads to harm associated with defective products. In some cases, companies are aware of the defects present in their products, and they still make their products available to consumers.
If you would like to learn more about product liability, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible.
You Can Sue and Receive Compensation
Do you have the right to sue? Based on product liability, companies can be liable for the harm that their consumers suffer due to defective products. Therefore, injured consumers could pursue product liability claims against companies. This means that you could sue Blackhawk for the harm that you or a member of your family suffered due to their defective gun holsters.
Depending on the details of your product liability claim, you could also be eligible to recover compensation. Based on the specific harm suffered and how the harm has affected different aspects of your life, you could be eligible to receive compensation for some of the following:
- Medical costs
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Funeral and burial costs
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages
If you are interested in learning more about the specific type and amount of compensation that you could be eligible to receive, it is important that you discuss your claim with an experienced attorney. Only an attorney can evaluate your claim and help you understand the potential value of your claim. If you choose our experts and allow us to handle your claim, you can be certain that there will always be someone aggressively fighting for your right to recover the compensation that you deserve. Even though compensation will not reverse the harm suffered by any means, it could help you and your family move forward after such a traumatic experience.
Filing a Product Liability Claim against Blackhawk
If you were harmed in any way because of a defective product, it is essential that you follow a number of important steps necessary to increase the likelihood of reaching a successful claim outcome. What should you do?
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible. All injuries should be immediately treated. Delayed treatment could worsen injuries. Delayed treatment could also make it very difficult to connect the harm suffered to the incident.
- Take photos. You will need to take photos of the injuries that you suffered. If there were additional damages (e.g. from property being struck by a gunshot), you should have photographic evidence.
- Gather videos. Depending on the location of the incident, your incident might have been caught on video. If any surveillance cameras caught the incident, you should gather the footage.
- Speak to witnesses. If there were any witnesses to the incident and the harm that you suffered, you must speak to them and gather their contact information. Their testimony could prove to be vital to your claim.
- Contact the company. You will need to contact Blackhawk to report the incident and the harm that you suffered. The company will likely make you some offers which might include a refund or a free repair, for instance. You must deny all offers and refrain from relaying any information that might be used against you.
- Do not return the defective gun holder
- Do not agree to a partial or full refund
- Do not return the defective gun holster
- Gather all documents relevant to the purchase of the defective product. This could include bank or credit card statements, receipts, or order confirmations, for example.
- Seek legal assistance. You must seek legal assistance with an attorney experienced in defective product claims.
For more information about the specific steps that you should follow after being harmed by a defective product, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance as soon as possible with our experts at Normandie Law Firm.
The Statute of Limitations
All claims are subject to statutes of limitations – or deadlines that determine the length of time that claimants have to file their claims. This ensures that all claims are filed within an appropriate time frame. When claims are not filed within the time established by the statute of limitations, claimants will lose their right to sue.
In California, product liability claims are typically subject to a two-year statute of limitations, giving claimants only two years to file. However, exceptions could apply for a number of reasons (that will always be specific to the details of the claim). If you would like to learn more about the statute of limitations that applies to your claim, do not hesitate to contact our firm at your earliest convenience. Our lawyers will help you understand the time that you have to sue.
Contact Normandie Law Firm Today
If you or a member of your family suffered any sort of harm as a result of the defective gun holster sold by Blackhawk or any other defective product, you might have grounds to pursue a claim. If you are considering the possibility of suing the company that negligently made the defective product available for you to purchase, you can trust the experts at Normandie Law Firm.
At Normandie Law Firm, our lawyers have many years of experience handling product liability claims and representing injured victims and their families. Our experts are dedicated to helping all affected parties gain access to the information and representation that they need to reach a successful claim outcome.
Because of that, our firm offers free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns – always ensuring that you have access to all the information that you need to pursue your claim against the company that negligently contributed to the harm that you suffered.
Our free legal services are available through our Zero-Fee guarantee that ensures that our clients never have to pay any upfront legal fees for any of our legal services. Our firm is also based on a contingency structure that ensures that our clients will never be expected to pay anything until after reaching a successful claim outcome.
If you are ready to discuss your claim with our product liability lawyers, do not hesitate to contact our firm at your earliest convenience. Our lawyers are ready to guide you towards the recovery of the compensation that you deserve.
