BELLEVILLE — A Kettering man claims his thumb was lacerated when a bow string struck his hand while firing a crossbow.
Brent Hargis filed a complaint on March 20 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Barnett Outdoors LLC and Gander Mountain Co., alleging they violated the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act when they concealed material facts regarding the poor and dangerous design of the crossbow.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges he purchased a crossbow at Gander Mountain's Huber Heights, Ohio, store. On March 29, 2015, while in the process of firing the crossbow, the bow string allegedly struck and severely lacerated his left thumb.
As a result, Hargis claims he suffered physical injuries and pain and incurred medical expenses.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants failed to warn crossbow users about the dangerous defect of the product and refused to recall the product it knew to be defectively designed, exposing consumers to an unreasonable risk.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment in an amount in excess of $50,000, plus cost of suit and any other further relief the court deems just.
He is represented by Jason D. Johnson of HeplerBroom LLC in Edwardsville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 17-L-139