Loudoun County deputy sues gun manufacturer for $10 million after having her femur shattered


A Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office deputy is one of several people across the country suing gun manufacturer Sig Sauer for alleged negligence and deceptive marketing.

The deputy, 37-year-old Marcie Vadnais, is seeking $10 million in damages.

The Sig Sauer P320 pistol is widely used by police departments, the military and general public and is marketed for its safety. Sig Sauer is quoted in marketing material that the gun will not fire unless someone pulls the trigger.

But in 2016, when the manufacturer was closing a deal with the Army, the Army found that occasionally when the gun was dropped it would fire by itself. As a condition of the deal, Sig Sauer upgraded the firearms to fix the problem, but the company then sold the pre-upgrade version to the general public for several months, according to a CNN investigation.

In February, Vadnais arrived at the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy for a general instructor course. The academy does not allow live rounds and weapons inside the facility, so the deputy began stripping off the firarm. As Vadnais began feeding her belt through the first tooth of the holster, her P320 fired one round and hit her right thigh, shattering her femur, according to court documents.

At no point did Vadnais touch the trigger, and the gun was inside and covered by the Sig-manufactured holster, the documents state.

Vadnais, a seven-year veteran of LCSO, now has a steel rod holding her femur in place and still has bone fragments and shrapnel in her leg. Doctors do not know the full extent of the damage, but they say she may never be able to walk or run normally again or return to her post, according to court documents.

Vadnais' Sig Sauer was not the upgraded version of the gun.

https://www.loudountimes.com/n...1b-7b8d88341850.html

Not sure I believe her version of the story.

Hmmm . . .

Witnesses? Video from security camera?

This story stinks of money grubbing BS.

quote:

feeding her belt through the first tooth of the holster

Holsters have teeth, let alone more than one? Maybe the protrusions on the paddle and body of the plastic holster shipped with P320s could be considered teeth, but why feed your belt through them?

Sounds like a ND to me.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Peanut71,

quote:

Originally posted by Wreckless:
But in 2016, when the manufacturer was closing a deal with the Army, the Army found that occasionally when the gun was dropped it would fire by itself. As a condition of the deal, Sig Sauer upgraded the firearms to fix the problem, but the company then sold the pre-upgrade version to the general public for several months, according to a CNN investigation.

While her story may be in doubt, this is what interests me...

The holster than SIG ships/shipped with the 320s?

Color me skeptical. Is this about "drop safety" and yet the gun wasn't dropped?

And if she was removing the holster, why was she feeding a belt through anything?

Either this is the shittiest reportage ever, or this scenario is total bullshit.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:

quote:

Originally posted by Wreckless:
But in 2016, when the manufacturer was closing a deal with the Army, the Army found that occasionally when the gun was dropped it would fire by itself. As a condition of the deal, Sig Sauer upgraded the firearms to fix the problem, but the company then sold the pre-upgrade version to the general public for several months, according to a CNN investigation.

While her story may be in doubt, this is what interests me...

Bingo

quote:

Originally posted by Oat_Action_Man:
The holster than SIG ships/shipped with the 320s?

Color me skeptical. Is this about "drop safety" and yet the gun wasn't dropped?

And if she was removing the holster, why was she feeding a belt through anything?

Either this is the shittiest reportage ever, or this scenario is total bullshit.

It’s both. She shot herself, unintentionally, but there’s no other explanation. Not sure why this is coming back around again since she piggy backed on the drop suits a few months ago.

First anyone can file such for anything. It remains to be
seen what happens now.
Filing isn't proof of anything.
From what we read here is somewhat confusing as to just what
caused the pistol to fire.
Lets give this some time to play out. Often, very often companies settle out of court, considering it's simpler than the publicity of a trial.
However, something like this won't be settled out of court.
Stay safe
Poli Viejo

quote:

Not sure why this is coming back around again since she piggy backed on the drop suits a few months ago.

Perhaps because she piggy backed on the drop suits and there was no drop involved here at all?

I'm with those who'd like to see a clearer and more detailed version of the story. The story as told here seems just a little weird, which does suggest that the officer may be playing the Lawsuit Lottery and hoping that a big demand will lead to a healthy settlement.

Wait... I see the problem with this story.

quote:

a CNN investigation.

No wonder it doesn't make any sense.

That doesn't make much, if any, sense.

Color me confused. My holsters don't have teeth. I assume there is video evidence??

And who in their right mind would use that crappy, flimsy holster that Sig makes? Or provides. And who would take it to a training class?

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
And who in their right mind would use that crappy, flimsy holster that Sig makes? Or provides. And who would take it to a training class?

Some people are very cheap. I know many gun owners who are shocked that I spend $130 to $150 on custom leather holsters. They state they can spend $30 on a cc holster.

Story sounds suspicious

Some thing isn't right with this story. Also, who the hell leaves a loaded gun in a holster while taking off or on a belt or your body?!?!? Seems to me she needs more firearms safety training.

quote:

Originally posted by 4859:
Some thing isn't right with this story. Also, who the hell leaves a loaded gun in a holster while taking off or on a belt or your body?!?!? Seems to me she needs more firearms safety training.

That is exactly how you are taught to remove it unless you are at an approved clearing location (sand barrel) or on the line at the range. It is a police training thing. You generally can't have an ND if the firearm remains holstered.