Firearms Manufacturer Taurus Recalls Pistol
Taurus Holdings Inc. of Florida has issued a voluntary recall of about 1 million pistols after a lawsuit was filed that alleges that some of the handguns had safety defects.
About the Safety Defect and Lawsuit
A federal lawsuit against Taurus Holdings Inc. claims that nine handgun models had defects including one that caused a pistol to inadvertently fire when dropped.
According to AL.com, there were safety defects in the nine models that caused them to fire when pulling the trigger despite the safety being in the “on” or “safe” position. Other handguns inadvertently fired when dropped or bumped.
The alleged defects are attributed to the lack of “trigger safety blade” within the semi-automatic pistols. However, Taurus has denied there were any defects in those handgun models even though they issued a voluntary recall.
The company and the plaintiff’s attorney are currently working on a settlement that caps the total cash payments at $30 million.
Injury Reports
- The lead plaintiff in the class-action lawsuit is Chris Carter, a sheriff’s deputy in Scott County Iowa who had a PT140 Millennium PRO pistol that fell from his holster, hitting the ground and discharging a bullet that struck a nearby unoccupied vehicle.
- Adam Maroney, an Etowah County man, had his holstered handgun fall out and fire when it hit the ground. A bullet struck him in the upper thigh and ended up in his left lung. Maroney was awarded a $1.25 million verdict by a jury
- Birmingham law firm Morris, Haynes, Hornsby & Wheeles has handled more than a half-dozen lawsuits about the alleged Taurus defects.
Description of Defective Firearms and Lawsuit
All the information below provided by the AL.com:
- The recall affects customers who bought the following models sold between 1997 and 2013.The handguns have been sold throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam.
- The recall affects the models PT-111 Millennium; PT-132 Millennium; PT-138-Millennium; PT-140 Millennium; PT-145 Millennium; PT-745 Millennium; PT-609; PT-640; and PT-24/7.
- Since 2013 the nine models are no longer manufactured and distributed in the United States.
- Claims will be handled by a Third Party Claims Administrator (TPA). Taurus Companies will provide notice through digital and print outlets