When you buy products and use them according to the manufacturer's guidelines, likely the furthest thing from your mind is that you may be injured by them. However, one Tennessee man and three others are claiming that is exactly what happened in a lawsuit that focuses on the design defect of a crossbow.
The man says that he was borrowing the bow when he was injured. The other complainants, all hunters from various states, have different yet similar stories about how the bow either ripped off their thumb nail or broke their thumb.
According to court documents, they believe that Barnett, the crossbow manufacturer, should be held liable for the injuries because they were allegedly aware of the defect and did nothing to prevent it. The men are also suing Cabela’s, Rural King, and Dunham’s for offering the bow in their stores even though they were notified of the defect.
The injured men have requested over $450,000 to cover damages such as lost wages and medical expenses. The hunters are also requesting that the Barnett crossbow be recalled.
Sources do not include the defendant’s rebuttal, but do indicate that Barnett had to have known that there was a manufacturing defect given previous injury notices. The men are claiming Barnett and the stores participated in consumer fraud, among other allegations.
Not every defective product causes death; however, serious injuries can lead to life-long health problems and discomfort. If you or a loved one was injured in any way by a design defect, you may want to contact a products liability attorney for assistance.
Source: The Madison-St. Clair Record, “Cabela’s among defendants sued by crossbow hunters; Left thumb nails ripped off or bones broken, suit says,” Andrea Dearden, Nov. 7, 2013