TAMPA, Fla. (Legal Newsline) — A Florida man alleges his brand new Smith & Wesson was defective, which caused the gun to go off without warning and nearly blow off one of his fingers.
John Tia filed a complaint March 21 in Hillsborough County Circuit Court against the company.
Tia, according to his complaint, purchased a brand new stock Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm M2.0 firearm from Fort Still Army Base in Lawton, Oklahoma, in February of 2021. He claims he never fired the gun after purchase and placed it in his gun safe.
He further claims on Jan. 19, 2022, he placed the firearm next to him at his home computer as he worked without still never firing the gun. Tia alleges when he went to pick the gun up off of his desk, it went off without warning and caused his pinky finger to be nearly blown off. He claims the firearm was defective including having a noticeable casting mark and a radius where it should have been flat. Tia alleges he handled the gun in a safe and ordinary manner and that the gun's defects caused the sear hook to have partial engagement and the gun to go off.
Tia seeks monetary relief of more than $50,000, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. He is represented by Brian Wilson of Dellecker Wilson King McKenna Ruffier & Sos in Orlando.