Injuries allegedly caused by recalled barbeque grill brushes lead to lawsuits in New York, New Jersey
Three lawsuits have been filed in New York and New Jersey after recalled barbeque grill brushes allegedly caused injuries.
In February, Weber voluntarily recalled 3 million brushes after at least 38 reports of small wire bristles breaking, including four reports of consumers swallowing bristles.
Child among those injured
Bruce Lynch, of Nassau County, is suing Weber-Stephen products, saying part of a bristle from the brush he used to clean his grill landed in his eye.
"Particles of rust in my eye that had to be removed, obviously blurred vision for quite a while, constant irritation," he said. "I still have scarring in the right eye. I still have limited vision. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy."
His lawsuit claims that Weber's recall came too late.
"All of our clients have undergone surgeries," said Joseph Ciaccio, an attorney representing the plaintiffs. "One man in New Jersey still has a piece of the brush stuck in his pancreas. The child here that we represent on Long Island needed to undergo two throat surgeries just to remove the bristle."
CBS News New York reached out Weber to comment on the lawsuits, but have not yet received a response.
Wire brush safety
Potential dangers of wire brushes of all kinds have been reported for years.
Experts advise using them gently, wearing protective eyewear, and rinsing the grill after brushing.
Dr. Adam Stright, an emergency surgeon at NYU Langone-Long Island, has seen injuries from wire brushes of all kinds if not used properly and with protective equipment.
"The metal particles do break off. That is a known issue, every brush has that potential, so ultimately I would recommend you use some alternative form of cleaning for your grill," he said. "If you do use them, use them in the safest way possible."
Experts say you should replace your grill brush at least once a season or every 100 uses.
There are also lots of non-wire alternatives, including steam brushes.