EDWARDSVILLE - A man is suing a Wood River tool store after he allegedly suffered injuries from a "defective" router.
Plaintiff William P. Sloan filed the lawsuit in the Madison County Circuit Court against Waltco Tools Inc. and DeWalt Industrial Tool Company.
According to the complaint, Sloan purchased a DeWalt router from Waltco Tools in Wood River. He claims the router had two handles, "one for each hand."
The instructions allegedly call for maintaining a firm grip with both hands, the suit states. The handles are near the bottom of the tool and the on/off switch is near the top, the lawsuit states.
"As a practical matter, the tool is designed and manufactured in such a way that it is not reasonably possible to operate the on/off switch with both hands on the tools grip," Sloan claims.
He alleges the design is faulty and makes the tool, "defective and dangerous."
While trying to turn the router off, Sloan allegedly lost control and suffered injuries to his fingers and left hand, the lawsuit states.
Sloan seeks more than $50,000 in damages. He is represented by attorney Thomas Maag of Wood River.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 2022LA001532.