KANSAS CITY — A Missouri man has filed a federal lawsuit against Harbor Freight alleging that a wood carving disc sold by the company was unreasonably dangerous, inadequately labeled and caused him permanent, life-altering injuries while being used exactly as intended.
The plaintiff, Robert Lyman Berg of Morgan County, claims he suffered severe injuries to his left hand after a Bauer wood carving disc violently kicked back while attached to a handheld angle grinder, according to a petition filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri on Jan. 7.
According to the court filing, Berg purchased the Bauer wood carving disc in 2023 and the disc is described in the petition as having chainsaw-type cutting teeth designed to spin at high revolutions per minute when attached to a handheld angle grinder.
Harbor Freight allegedly marketed and sold the disc as a compatible and safe attachment for use with its Hercules HE61S angle grinder, which Berg already owned.
The lawsuit states that on Oct. 5, 2023, Berg was using the disc to carve a piece of white oak that was properly secured in a vise.
He claims he was following all provided instructions and using recommended safety precautions, including the grinder’s safety guard, when the disc suddenly and violently kicked back, and the grinder allegedly jerked uncontrollably, causing severe lacerations to Berg’s left hand.
As a result of the incident, Berg claims he suffered catastrophic and permanent injuries, including partial amputation of his left thumb, open fractures of his thumb and index finger lacerations to multiple fingers, permanent nerve damage, loss of grip strength and dexterity and permanent disfigurement.
The petition also states that Berg can no longer wear his wedding band due to the injuries.
He has undergone multiple surgeries, including an emergency surgical amputation and a subsequent excision and debridement procedure on Dec. 29, 2023.
The lawsuit alleges that Harbor Freight failed to adequately warn consumers of the risks associated with the wood carving disc.
According to the filing, neither the disc nor the grinder bore on-product warnings alerting users to the risk of sudden kickback, catastrophic hand injury or amputation.
The accompanying instruction manual, copyrighted in 2022, allegedly recommended using the disc with a Hercules angle grinder but did not include sufficient warnings about the dangers or the disc’s propensity for violent kickback.
Berg contends that the design of the product is inherently defective because it places what the lawsuit characterizes as the cutting tip of a chainsaw blade onto a handheld grinder, significantly increasing the risk of loss of control and severe injury.
The petition states that the dangerous nature of chainsaw-style carving discs is well known within the woodworking industry and alleges that similar products have been banned in other jurisdictions.
In addition to negligence and strict liability claims, Berg accuses Harbor Freight of engaging in deceptive and unfair practices under the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act.
The lawsuit claims the company misrepresented the safety of the wood carving disc, failed to disclose material facts about its risks, and omitted critical safety information that would have allowed consumers to make informed purchasing decisions.
The petition states that Berg has incurred substantial medical expenses, including $18,977.88 in charges at Bothwell Regional Health Center, with additional medical expenses through the Veterans Administration still pending.
He also alleges ongoing physical pain, emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life.
Berg seeks compensatory damages, court costs, and any additional relief the court deems appropriate. He is represented by Matthew B. Uhrig and Alexander Brown of the Law Office of Uhrig & Brown in Ashland, Mo.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Central Division case number: 2:26-cv-04003
