Sig Sauer, the New Hampshire-based firearms manufacturer, has been ordered to pay $11 million in damages to a Philadelphia man who suffered a severe leg injury when his holstered P320 pistol discharged unintentionally. The verdict, handed down after a three-week trial, marks the second major judgment this year against the company over alleged defects in the P320 model.
The Incident and Lawsuit
The plaintiff, George Abrahams, a U.S. Army veteran and painting contractor, suffered life-altering injuries in 2020 when his P320 fired while holstered. Abrahams claimed the gun was securely zipped into the pocket of his athletic pants as he descended stairs when it discharged. The bullet tore through his right thigh and exited above his knee, causing permanent damage.
Abrahams’ lawsuit, filed in 2022, accused Sig Sauer of negligence for selling a defective product and failing to address widespread concerns about the P320’s propensity for unintentional discharges.
Jury’s Decision and Sig Sauer’s Defense
The Philadelphia jury found Sig Sauer negligent, awarding Abrahams $11 million for his injuries. His attorney, Robert W. Zimmerman, argued that the P320’s design lacks safety features common in other handguns, making it prone to firing without the trigger being deliberately pulled.
Zimmerman called the verdict “a strong message to Sig Sauer that they need to do something with this gun.”
Sig Sauer, however, defended the P320 as “among the most tested, proven, and successful handguns in recent history.” The company claimed Abrahams’ negligence contributed to the incident and announced plans to appeal the verdict.
History of P320 Complaints
The P320 has faced significant scrutiny, with more than 100 reported incidents of unintended discharges. Earlier this year, a federal jury awarded $2.35 million to a Georgia man injured under similar circumstances.
Plaintiffs’ lawyers, including Zimmerman and Ryan Hurd of Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky, have filed numerous lawsuits against Sig Sauer, asserting that the P320 is “the most dangerous pistol for its users sold in the United States market.”
According to the lawsuits, the military version of the P320 includes an external safety mechanism, but the model sold to civilians and police departments does not. In 2019, Philadelphia’s transit authority, SEPTA, removed all P320 handguns from service after one unintentionally discharged.
Company History and Settlements
Sig Sauer has previously settled a federal class-action lawsuit involving P320s manufactured before 2017, offering refunds or replacement guns to purchasers. However, the company has resisted calls for a recall of the model and continues to assert that the firearm meets safety standards.
