Barnett Jackal Crossbow
SHERMAN - After losing part of his thumb trying to shoot a crossbow, a Collin County man has filed a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of the crossbow and is asking for more than $200,000.
William Quinn Meredith filed the lawsuit against Barnett Outdoors and Mark Shuman Inc., doing business as The Digital Oasis, on Aug. 1 in the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division.
The incident occurred on Feb. 17 as Meredith was shooting with a Barnett Jackal Crossbow. Meredith states that he placed two shots with the Crossbow from a controlled rest on the back of his truck, and when he placed the third shot, the string severed one-half inch of his left thumb.
Meredith states that there were no safety warnings, safety labels or finger guards on the crossbow to warn users from placing a thumb above the crossbow's rail.
The defendants are accused of strict products liability, negligence, and breach of warranty for the defective design, manufacture, assembly, testing, inspection, service, marketing, distribution and sale of the Crossbow. The defendants are also accused of violating the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act
The plaintiff is asking the court for an award of more than $200,000 in damages for pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, medical expenses, loss of earning capacity, impairment, disfigurement, deformity and scarring, attorney's fees, court costs, treble damages and interest.
Meredith is represented by D. Bradley Kizzia and Samantha R. Cooper of Brown Fox Kizzia & Johnson in Dallas.
U.S. District Judge Richard A. Schell is assigned to the case.
Case No. 4:12-cv-00481