Everyone knows that guns are dangerous. But a bullet without a gun? Apparently that's dangerous too.
An unidentified woman shopping at Lowe's was injured when a bullet in her purse exploded unexpectedly. The bullet casing made a hole in her purse and caused minor injuries to her leg. She was later checked out at the hospital.
Generally with bullet wounds there's some idea of where blame lies. But in this case the real culprit wasn't even present when this woman was injured.
Product manufacturer's have a responsibility to sell a safe product or at least warn consumers of potential risks from using the product. If the product is defective, such as a bullet that explodes without an external pressure, then the manufacturer can be liable for any injury caused.
Police Chief Jason Bentley surmised that something may have hit the primer of a bullet in a statement to the Sun Gazette. But if the bullet was properly constructed it seems unlikely that would be possible.
The most reasonable conclusion is that the bullet was made defectively and if that's true, the Pennsylvania woman injured may have a case against the bullet manufacturer.
Reports indicate that this Lowe's shopper did not seek treatment for several hours after the bullet exploded and she was released from the hospital shortly after seeking treatment.
Chances are her injuries were minor so there may not be much point in seeking damages. Still, in general it's always a good idea to talk to an attorney if you're injured in a freak accident involving dysfunctional merchandise.
Related Resources:
- Bullet Explodes In Woman's Purse, Shoots Her In Leg At Lowe's (Huffington Post)
- Man Catches Fire After Applying Spray-On Sunscreen (FindLaw's Common Law)
- Lowe's Shopper Injured When Bullet Explodes In Purse (The Consumerist)
