Pennsylvania Jury Orders Sig Sauer to Pay $11M in Pistol Defect Lawsuit

Sig Sauer Inc., a leading firearms manufacturer, has been ordered by a Pennsylvania jury to pay $11 million in damages after a veteran claimed one of the company’s pistols discharged without the trigger being pulled. The case involved George Abrahams, a U.S. Army veteran and painting contractor, who was injured when a Sig Sauer P320 pistol went off in his pocket, sending a bullet into his thigh. The jury found Sig Sauer liable for selling a defective gun and holster, awarding $1 million for Abrahams’ injuries and $10 million in punitive damages.

This isn’t the first lawsuit against the P320 model. Earlier this year, a federal jury in Georgia awarded $2.35 million to another owner of the same pistol for similar claims. Abrahams’ lawyer, Robert Zimmerman, stated that Sig Sauer knew about the design flaws, including the pistol’s lack of a safety mechanism and its allegedly overly sensitive trigger.

Sig Sauer announced plans to appeal, asserting that Abrahams’ own negligence contributed to the discharge and that their product met safety standards. The company pointed to improper handling and lack of training on the part of the plaintiff.

The P320 pistol, Sig Sauer’s flagship handgun, has been the subject of numerous lawsuits. Zimmerman’s firm has 100 additional cases against Sig Sauer related to this model, with two trials scheduled in Boston next year.