Picture this: it’s November 2024, and a Philadelphia courtroom just handed down an $11 million verdict against SIG Sauer. George Abrahams, an Army vet, claimed his P320 pistol fired without a trigger pull, blasting through his leg while holstered. It’s a jaw-dropping moment in a saga that’s been brewing for years—over 100 lawsuits since 2018, all circling the same question: is the SIG Sauer P320, a gun trusted by the U.S. Army and countless cops, secretly a safety hazard? Let’s dive into the mess of SIG Sauer P320 lawsuits, unpack the wins and losses, and figure out what’s really going on as of March 21, 2025.
The P320: A Star Gun with a Dark Shadow
The SIG Sauer P320 hit the scene in 2014 as a striker-fired, modular wonder—a handgun you could tweak to fit your needs. It’s no surprise the U.S. Army picked it up in 2017 with a $580 million contract, dubbing it the M17. Civilians and law enforcement loved it too, thanks to SIG’s bold “drop safe” promise and “Safety Without Compromise” marketing. But then, trouble started brewing. In 2017, reports popped up about the P320 firing when dropped. SIG Sauer scrambled, rolling out a Voluntary Upgrade Program (VUP) with a lighter trigger and a mechanical disconnector, insisting there was no defect to fix. Spoiler: not everyone bought it.
Fast forward, and the lawsuits piled up. Plaintiffs—cops, vets, everyday folks—say the P320’s design flaws make it fire without a trigger pull, often while holstered. Words like “sensitive trigger,” “inadequate sear-striker connection,” and “no external safety” keep cropping up. So, what’s the scorecard look like in these SIG Sauer legal battles? Let’s break it down.
The Big Lawsuits: Wins, Losses, and TBDs
Early Days: Settlements and Dismissals
Back in 2018, David Hartley kicked things off with a class-action suit in Missouri, claiming the P320 could fire when “out of battery” (slide and barrel misaligned). By 2020, it settled—SIG didn’t admit fault but beefed up the VUP and offered warranties and refunds for older models. A win for SIG Sauer P320 lawsuits in the “no liability” column.
Then there’s Marcie Vadnais, a Virginia deputy who sued for $10 million in 2019 after her holstered P320 allegedly shot her leg. That one wrapped up quick with a settlement—amount undisclosed, no fault admitted. Another checkmark for SIG. Same year, Kyle Guay from New Hampshire said his P320 fired unprovoked, but a federal judge tossed the case in 2023, ruling he couldn’t prove SIG Sauer lied about safety. Three early SIG Sauer wins, no sweat.
The Tide Turns: Big Verdicts Hit Hard
But then came George Abrahams. In 2022, he sued after his P320 allegedly discharged in his pants pocket, shattering his leg. November 2024 verdict? $11 million—$10 million punitive, $1 million compensatory. The jury called SIG Sauer negligent and reckless, though they pinned some blame on Abrahams’ lack of training. SIG’s appealing, saying the trigger took 7 pounds of force to pull. Ouch.
Next up, Robert Lang from Georgia. His 2024 suit claimed a holstered P320 shot his thigh in 2018. June 2024 verdict: $2.35 million, 100% on SIG Sauer. No user error here, said the jury—pure negligence. SIG’s appealing this one too. These losses sting, spotlighting P320 design flaws in a way settlements never did.
The Ongoing Fight: Mass Actions and a Tragic Death
The legal heat’s still on. Take Bevacqua et al. v. SIG Sauer (2023)—20 plaintiffs, including cops and feds, alleging over 100 unintentional discharges. Or Armendariz et al. (2022), another mass action growing by the day, with trials slated for 2025. Both are led by Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky (SMB), a firm representing over 100 P320 victims. These are still pending, and they’re massive.
Then there’s the heartbreaking Neshin v. SIG Sauer case. Filed in December 2024, Mariya Gomelskaya says her husband, Roman Neshin, bled out from a femoral artery wound when his holstered P320 fired in October 2024. Wrongful death suits don’t get heavier than that—it’s in early stages, but it’s a gut punch.
The Fuzzy Ones
Some cases are murkier. Keith Slatowski (ICE officer), Howard Northrop (Tampa cop), Stephen Mayes (Kentucky officer), Thomas Frankenberry (Chick-fil-A incident)—all claimed unintentional discharges, all filed between 2019 and 2021. Outcomes? Unclear—maybe settled quietly, maybe still grinding through courts. Same with Derek Ortiz’s 2019 class-action attempt over drop-fire risks. No updates, no closure.
SIG Sauer’s Win-Loss Record: 60% and Counting?
So, how’s SIG Sauer holding up? Out of the 13 cases I’ve tracked with clear-ish outcomes:
- Wins: 3 (Hartley, Vadnais, Guay)—settlements or dismissals, no liability.
- Losses: 2 (Abrahams, Lang)—jury verdicts totaling $13.35 million.
- Unresolved: 8—over 60% of the list.
Crunch the numbers on resolved cases: 3 wins out of 5 equals a 60% win rate for SIG Sauer in P320 lawsuits. Not bad, right? But hold up—over 100 suits have been filed since 2018, and this is just a snapshot. Settlements like Hartley and Vadnais count as “wins” since SIG dodged fault, but plaintiffs still got something. And those unresolved mass actions? They could flip the script big-time.
What’s It All Mean?
A 60% win rate sounds solid—SIG Sauer’s legal team has dodged bullets (pun intended) with dismissals and low-key settlements. But those two losses—Abrahams and Lang—hit hard, proving juries can buy the “design flaw” argument. With SMB pushing mass actions and cases like Neshin’s wrongful death claim in play, the pressure’s mounting. Plus, SIG’s appealing both big losses, so that 60% could climb if they win those rounds.
Here’s the catch: we don’t know the full story. Tons of settlements are hush-hush, and over half the cases I listed are TBD. The real percentage of SIG Sauer P320 lawsuit wins might be way different when the dust settles. One thing’s clear—this isn’t just about money; it’s about trust. If more juries side with plaintiffs, the P320’s rep as a safe, reliable gun could take a hit, maybe even its military gig.
SIG Sauer’s Side and What’s Next
SIG Sauer’s not backing down. They swear the P320 needs a trigger pull to fire—think 5.5 to 7 pounds, depending on the model—and meets all safety standards. Their line? User error, every time. Dropped guns? Holster mishaps? Blame the shooter, not the design. They’ve got testing and the VUP to back them up, and they’re fighting tooth and nail—appeals, motions, the works.
Looking ahead, 2025’s a big year. Will the Bevacqua and Armendariz mass actions land more verdicts? Will Neshin’s tragic case sway a jury? Will SIG’s appeals flip Abrahams and Lang? The answers will shape the P320’s future—and SIG Sauer’s.
Wrapping It Up
As of March 21, 2025, SIG Sauer’s batting 60% in resolved P320 lawsuits—not a knockout, but not a KO either. They’ve dodged some big punches with settlements and dismissals, but those $11 million and $2.35 million verdicts show the gloves are off. With dozens of cases still in the ring, the fight over P320 design flaws and unintentional discharge claims is far from over. Once a symbol of cutting-edge firepower, the P320’s legacy might come down to this: can SIG Sauer prove it’s safe, or will the courts hold them accountable? Stay tuned—this one’s still firing.