Harbor Freight Tools issued a recall on October 4th, 2019, for its Gordon brand folding knives. The knives had a defect that caused the locking mechanism to fail when the blade extended, which posed risk for lacerations and cuts. Over 1 million of the knives were recalled. They can be identified as stainless steel blades with a black metal portion on the handles; further, there are five cutouts on the handle that decrease in size. The side of the handle has a silver clip that can allow it to be fastened to clothing or other items. On opposite sides of the handle are the words “China” and “Stainless Steel.” The knife is 3 inches long. To date, there have been 7 reports from consumers detailing injuries and incidents. 6 of the 7 reports resulted in lacerations of some kind, and 4 of the 6 lacerations required medical attention, such as stitches. The failure of the lock was the cause of all the incidents. The knives were manufactured in China and imported into California by Harbor Freight Tools. They were distributed at various Harbor Freight Tools stores across the country, sold over the phone via infomercials and store advertisements, sold online at the store website, and more. They were sold for over 10 years, from July 2008 to June 2019. They cost about $5. Individuals who were injured or who own the knives are encouraged to contact Harbor Freight Tools for a solution to the problem. The company recommends keeping the knives closed and not using them. You should return them to the store for a free refund, which will be a gift card equal to the value of the knife.

What kind of accidents can happen with a defective folding knife?

A defective folding knife is inherently unsafe. Folding knives are kept in the handles to protect the user and avoid any mistaken cuts. The knives are deployed by simply depressing the button and popping the blade out with your finger. It should automatically lock when it is placed back in the handle. If it does not lock, the blade can effortlessly slide or wriggle, which can cause inherent instability. Users may slash their hands if they are not carefully using the knives. They may also be holding the knife around the handle while using it, and the lock keeping the blade out could fail, causing the entire blade to descend onto the user’s hand or fingers. These accidents are most common in simple household actions. You may want to use the knife to open a box you received in the mall, to cut tape from a sealed container, to cut away excess wood or plastic from a home improvement project, and much more. The knives are essentially simple enough that they can be used mindlessly and without careful attention to their mechanisms, but with a defect such as a broken lock, you have to be extremely careful of how you use it.

How can I file a product liability claim against Harbor Freight Tools for a defective folding knife?

If you wish to sue Harbor Freight Tools for injuries suffered from a broken folding knife, you should be sure to follow this procedure. It will allow you to gather your evidence and have the foundation for your claim. Firstly, you should go to the doctor to get medical treatment. You may need stitches and other treatments to combat infections. All of the doctor’s notes, prescription, receipts, and other documents or proof that you are given at the hospital or office should be added to your evidence pile. You should not wait too long to go to the doctor, especially if you have an open gash. The insurance agency may not trust your claim if so, and they may claim that you were hurt elsewhere. Next, you should take pictures of the injuries and the defect on the knife. It will help to show the level of damage and cause of the injuries. In addition to pictures, it is beneficial to have the item on hand as it was. You should not try to fix it or repair it, nor should you return it to the store. If you do, you are getting rid of the most crucial evidence in your case, and it will be much harder to establish that there was a defect. If anyone saw the incident happen, you can add their testimonies and statements. Eyewitnesses can greatly improve your case’s chance of success. Finally, you should reach out to a lawyer who can file a product liability claim for you. You may not have any legal experience and you may not know the first step in filing a claim. With our assistance, you will have the highest chance to walk away with a large settlement. We will take your evidence, organize it, write the demand letter, and submit it to the insurance agency so we can work to bring you every penny you deserve.

What can I win in a lawsuit against Harbor Freight Tools?

If you were injured due to a faulty folding knife from Harbor Freight Tools, you could receive a fair settlement from the company to cover the damages. The company should pay off the various injuries that happened, as well as other losses you suffered. You could potentially earn the following damages from a lawsuit against Harbor Freight Tools:

• Medical expenses to cover surgery, physical therapy, medication, and other treatments, as well as future medical costs
• Property damage if any personal belongings like the knife were lost or damaged in the incident
• Missed income if you could not return to work or could not work in the future; for example, you may have cut your hand very badly and work exclusively with your hands, so the extended layoff would prevent you from earning your wages
• Pain and suffering damages to cover the emotional trauma, PTSD, anxiety, fear, mental stress, and more that arose from the incident, ordeal, and consequences

It is not fair for you to have to pay for these numerous expenses if you bought a faulty knife from Harbor Freight. Our team of attorneys will strive to bring you every penny you deserve, and we will not give up until we are satisfied with the result.

What is the statute of limitations to file a product liability claim against Harbor Freight Tools?

In the State of California, you have 2 years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit against a company if you were injured by one of their products. The statute of limitations allows injured individuals the ability to collect their evidence for their product liability claims so that they are not rushed into a lawsuit with insufficient proof. It allows both parties the opportunity to gather evidence and to ensure that all eyewitness accounts are in order, the item is preserved, and the necessary bills have been collected. The statute of limitations can be extended past the 2-year limit, though. This can happen when victims are either under the age of 18 at the time of injury or when they have been left incapacitated afterwards. The statute will be extended and will begin only when the victim turns legal age or returns to functioning health, respectively. It is also possible for the statute of limitations to be lengthened if the defendant is not present for the case and has vacated the state. If so, the deadline will only count down once he returns. Altogether too many claims are not resolved or even filed because of the statute of limitations. Many victims do not know there is a time limit and do not go through the necessary steps to prepare themselves. They may try to sue much later than the statute allows them to. It is important that you call a skilled lawyer at [phonecall] who can handle your case on time for you so that you do not run the risk of missing the statute of limitations.