Nail guns injure thousands of people per year. Most cases are accidents, but some are caused by defective design. Since 2005, over 100,000 nail guns have been recalled because they can fire unexpectedly. Dozens of injuries have been reported, including lacerations, puncture wounds, blindness, and more.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting nail gun induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been injured by a recalled or defective nailer, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
What is the problem?
Nail guns boost productivity in construction, but they also pose serious risks. Every year, about 40,000 people are injured by nail guns. About 60% of those accidents occur on the job, mostly among framing carpenters and roofers.
When speed is essential, workers often use dangerous nail guns with a contact trip trigger, which allows “bump” firing as soon as the tip is pressed against any surface. The safest nail guns have a sequential trigger, which requires pressing the tip against a surface and pulling the trigger to fire a nail.
As nail guns have become increasingly available to the general public, the number of injuries has skyrocketed. Nail gun injuries tripled between 1991 and 2005, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Types of Nail Gun Injuries
- Bleeding
- Lacerations and open wounds
- Hand and finger injuries
- Puncture wounds
- Bone fractures
- Eye injuries
- Corneal abrasions
- Blindness
- Nerve damage
- Burns
- Infection
- Need for surgery to remove the nail
- Death
Hitachi Nail Gun Recalled After 15 Injuries and Blindness Reported
March 2010 — Hitachi Koki has recalled about 75,000 coil nailers in the United States and Canada due to a serious injury hazard. The nail guns may have a faulty feeder, which could allow nails to be ejected sideways. According to the recall:
“The firm has received 37 reports of nails being ejected sideways, including 15 reports of injuries. The injuries were primarily in the eye region, including five reports of partial blindness.”
The nail guns (model number NV83A2) were sold from November 2002 through March 2006 at Lowe’s, Home Depot, and other hardware stores for about $350-400.
Hitachi Nail Gun Recall for “Double-Fire” Risk
June 12, 2014 — Hitachi has recalled about 25,300 pneumatic nailers because they can jam and override the safety switch that permits only one nail to fire at a time. This could allow a “double-fire,” posing a serious injury hazard. No injuries have been reported. The recalled models — NR83A2(Y) and NR83A3 — were sold from May 2012 through May 2014.
More Nail Gun Recalls
- December 6, 2012 — RIGID Roofing and Framing Nail Guns — The trigger assembly on the nailers can malfunction and involuntarily discharge a fastener, posing a laceration or injury hazard to consumers.
- June 25, 2009 — DEWALT Framing Nail Guns — The bump action trigger may have been incorrectly assembled during production, which would allow the nailer to eject a fastener unexpectedly or cause the trigger lock-off not to function.
- August 5, 2008 — DEWALT Cordless Brad Nailers — The nailer can operate when the lock-off (safety) is in the locked position. Also, the nailer can operate when the trigger is not pulled and the contact trip is depressed.
- May 15, 2008 — Paslode “Tall Red” Fuel Cells for Framing Nailers — The fuel cells used to power cordless framing nailers can leak fuel, posing a fire hazard.
- June 29, 2006 — Porter-Cable Cordless Nailer — The nailer can eject a nail while the switch is in the “off” position if the trigger is pulled and it is placed on a surface. Two injuries were reported, including puncture wounds to the leg and back requiring surgical removal of the nail.
- June 3, 2005 — DEWALT Framing Nail Gun — The contact trip on some of the nailers could malfunction and cause a nail to eject unexpectedly.
Do I have a Nail Gun Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting nail gun induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been injured by a recalled or defective nailer, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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