Shooter Suffers Brain Injury From Allegedly Defective Shotgun

Case Overview

This case involves a plaintiff who was seriously injured when his shotgun malfunctioned. The plaintiff was an amateur shooter who purchased a pre-owned shotgun one week before the incident. While shooting, a shell exploded and the shrapnel went through the plaintiff’s chest and head. The plaintiff subsequently developed a brain abscess. An expert in firearm design was sought to examine and test the shotgun in question to determine if there was a design or manufacturer’s defect in the firearm.

Questions to the Firearms expert and their responses

Please briefly describe your familiarity with firearm design specifically as it relates to shotguns.

I am a third generation gunsmith with a degree in gunsmithing and a degree in criminal justice. I have 50 years experience as a gunsmith and ammunition reload/remanufacturer with multiple shooting champion awards. I am experienced with shotgun design. Virtually all shotguns operate on one of about 11 different designs. So this variant probably differs only very slightly.

Will you be able to examine and test the rifle in question to determine if there is a design and/or manufacturer's defect in the firearm?

I can examine it to see if there is a malfunction or defect. I can also procure exemplars and test them. I have examined many exploding firearms in the course of my career, all of which to date have ended favorably for the plaintiff. The problem was either a defect in ammunition or the firearm itself. These lawsuits involved either suing the ammunition manufacturer, the firearms manufacturer, or both.

About the expert

This expert has over 10 years of experience as an authority on firearm law. He currently provides his expertise to a variety of clients in need of accurate assessment of firearm analysis, and bullet trajectory. His primary areas of expertise are standard firearms, machine guns, silencers, ammunition testing, shooting scene reconstruction, crime scene reconstruction, and other weaponry (i.e. spears, knives, explosives, etc.). He is a licensed attorney in the State of Michigan, and teaches a course at a major law school on firearm law, and has extensive experience reviewing evidence and speaking to the impact of firearms on the outcome of cases. He is former Federal Agent with the U.S. Border Patrol and a former Police Officer with the Department of Defense.