Firearm Injury & Ghost Gun Lawyers
Most gun dealers operate in full compliance with Kentucky and federal law, and most gun owners practice safe ownership. Unfortunately, loopholes in how some guns are sold can create dangerous situations that end in tragedy. Ghost guns are one of the clearest examples.
A ghost gun is an untraceable, homemade firearm that lacks a serial number or identifying manufacturer marks. Some are assembled from build kits and unfinished frames sold online, while others are made with 3D printers. Federal rules now treat many of these kits as firearms, which means serial numbers, licensed sellers, and background checks. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a challenge to that rule in 2025, but not every online seller follows it.
Other scenarios, such as an unlawful firearm sale or a manufacturing defect in a gun, can also lead to injuries and deaths. You might think that an injury or death caused by a gun is the exclusive fault of the person who fired the weapon. The truth is, in certain circumstances, the manufacturer or seller of the gun can be held responsible.
If you or a loved one was seriously injured or killed because of a firearm, ghost gun kit, firearm component, or unlawful firearm sale, you owe it to yourself and your family to discuss your options with an experienced legal team.
Thomas Law Offices represents individuals and families in serious firearm injury and wrongful death cases involving ghost guns, defective firearms, illegal firearm sales, dangerous firearm products, and negligent distribution.
Defective Firearms and Product Liability
Firearms are designed to be used safely when they function as intended. But like other manufactured products, guns and firearm components can have design defects, manufacturing defects, or other problems that create an unreasonable risk of injury.
A defect does not necessarily have to cause a firearm to break apart or visibly malfunction. A defective trigger, faulty safety mechanism, improperly manufactured component, or other internal problem can cause a firearm to discharge when the user does not expect it to. Other defects can contribute to misfires, failures to fire, unexpected discharges, or other dangerous malfunctions.
When a defective firearm causes an injury, the circumstances may support a product liability claim against a manufacturer or another company involved in putting the product into the marketplace.
Common Firearm Defects
Firearm defects can take many forms. Our attorneys investigate whether a problem with the firearm’s design, manufacturing process, components, warnings, or instructions contributed to the incident.
Potential defects may involve:
- Defective triggers
- Faulty safety mechanisms
- Defective firing mechanisms
- Problems with chambers or barrels
- Defective internal components
- Improperly manufactured parts
- Design defects that create an unreasonable risk of unintended discharge
- Manufacturing defects that cause a particular firearm to differ from its intended design
- Inadequate warnings or instructions
- Component failures that contribute to a dangerous malfunction
Determining whether a firearm is defective requires more than simply looking at the gun after an accident. An investigation may involve examining the firearm and its components, reviewing its manufacturing history, identifying recalls or prior complaints, examining testing and safety records, and determining how the firearm was designed, manufactured, distributed, and sold.
Defective Handguns and Pistols
Handguns and pistols can cause catastrophic injuries when a defect results in an unintended discharge or other malfunction. Potential claims may involve defective triggers, safeties, firing mechanisms, internal components, or other design and manufacturing problems.
An investigation can help determine whether the firearm functioned as intended and whether a defect contributed to the shooting.
Defective Rifles and Shotguns
Rifles and shotguns contain numerous mechanical components that must work together properly. A defective component, manufacturing error, or design problem can contribute to an unintended discharge or another dangerous malfunction.
We investigate serious injuries involving rifles and shotguns to determine whether an alleged design defect, manufacturing defect, component failure, or inadequate warning contributed to the incident.
Defective AR-Style Firearms
AR-style firearms and their components can present additional questions when a serious injury occurs. Depending on the circumstances, an investigation may examine the design of the firearm, individual components, modifications, manufacturing processes, warnings, or distribution practices.
The specific configuration of the firearm and the circumstances surrounding the incident can be important in determining whether a product liability claim may exist.
Defective Revolvers
Revolvers can also be involved in product liability claims when a mechanical defect or component failure contributes to an unintended discharge or other malfunction.
Potential issues may include defective firing mechanisms, safety features, internal components, or other problems that cause the firearm to operate differently from how it was designed.
Defective Frames, Receivers, and Firearm Components
A serious firearm injury does not necessarily have to result from a defect in the entire firearm. The problem may involve an individual component, such as a frame, receiver, trigger, firing mechanism, or other parts.
Our attorneys investigate whether a defective component contributed to the injury and whether another company may be responsible for designing, manufacturing, distributing, or selling that component.
Foreign-Manufactured Firearms and Components
Firearms and firearm components manufactured outside the United States may still enter the American marketplace through importers, distributors, dealers, and other businesses.
When a defective firearm or component causes a serious injury, identifying the companies involved in the product’s supply chain can be an important part of the investigation. Our attorneys examine the manufacture, importation, distribution, and sale of the product to determine whether a potentially responsible company may be held accountable.
When Can a Manufacturer or Seller Be Held Responsible?
A firearm injury claim starts with a thorough investigation into what happened and why. Depending on the circumstances, potential claims may arise when evidence shows that a manufacturer, distributor, dealer, or seller produced, distributed, or sold a dangerous or defective product.
Claims involving a defective firearm may proceed under product liability laws. These claims can involve allegations of defective design, defective manufacturing, inadequate warnings, or other conduct that contributed to an injury.
Federal law provides licensed firearm manufacturers and dealers with protection from certain lawsuits arising from the criminal or unlawful misuse of firearms. That protection is not absolute. Federal law contains exceptions that can apply in circumstances involving negligent entrustment, knowing violations of laws governing firearm sales or marketing, and certain defective products.
The specific facts of the case determine whether an exception applies and whether a company or other party may be legally responsible.
Potential allegations in a defective-firearm case may include:
- Defective firearm design
- Manufacturing defects
- Defective triggers or safety mechanisms
- Defective firing mechanisms
- Unintended discharge caused by a product defect
- Defective firearm components
- Failure to provide adequate warnings
- Inadequate instructions
- Dangerous product design
- Negligent distribution
- Other conduct that contributed to a firearm malfunction or injury
Every case is different. The evidence surrounding the firearm, the injury, and the companies involved determines whether a claim exists and who may be responsible.
Injuries Caused by Defective Firearms
A firearm malfunction or unintended discharge can cause catastrophic injuries in seconds. Depending on where a person is struck and the severity of the injury, victims may require emergency treatment, multiple surgeries, rehabilitation, or lifelong medical care.
Potential injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Organ damage
- Permanent disability
- Severe facial injuries
- Amputation
- Severe internal injuries
- Fatal injuries
Families dealing with a catastrophic firearm injury may face substantial medical expenses, lost income, rehabilitation costs, and future care needs.
When a defective firearm causes a death, surviving family members may also be able to pursue a wrongful death claim.
Ghost Guns and Unlawful Firearm Sales
Defective-firearm cases are different from cases involving ghost guns or allegedly unlawful firearm sales. In these cases, the investigation may focus less on whether the firearm malfunctioned and more on how the firearm, build kit, or component entered the marketplace and whether applicable laws were followed.
Ghost guns are generally understood to be privately made firearms that lack the identifying information traditionally associated with commercially manufactured firearms. Some may be assembled using build kits or unfinished frames or receivers, while others may be manufactured using methods such as 3D printing.
Federal rules have changed the regulatory treatment of certain firearm-building kits and unfinished frames or receivers. Depending on the product and circumstances, federal law may impose requirements involving serial numbers, licensing, recordkeeping, and background checks.
The legal status of a certain firearm, frame, receiver, or build kit can depend on the product and how it was manufactured or sold. An investigation therefore requires a close examination of the specific product and transaction.
Firearm Build Kits and Online Sales
Firearm-building kits and firearm components sold online can raise questions about age verification, licensing, background checks, recordkeeping, serial numbers, and compliance with applicable federal and state laws.
An online transaction may also involve multiple companies, including the manufacturer of a component, an importer, a distributor, an online seller, and other businesses involved in the transaction.
When a serious injury or death follows an allegedly unlawful firearm sale, identifying how the product was marketed, sold, shipped, and transferred can be an important part of the investigation.
Unlawful Firearm Sales
Federal and Kentucky law place restrictions on certain firearm sales and transfers. Depending on the circumstances, potential violations may involve sales to prohibited purchasers, sales to underage individuals, unlawful transfers, unlicensed sales, or failures to comply with required background-check procedures.
Kentucky law also provides civil remedies in certain circumstances when a person is injured because another person violated a statute. Whether that law applies depends on the specific statute, the conduct involved, and the facts of the injury.
Our attorneys investigate whether an allegedly unlawful sale or distribution contributed to the harm and whether the evidence supports a civil claim against the seller, distributor, manufacturer, or another responsible party.
$104.2 Million Jury Verdict Against Online Ghost Gun Seller
In July 2023, Henry Willis, an 18-year-old from Kentucky, ordered a Glock-style pistol build kit from online seller Husky Armory. The company advertised the kit as having “everything you need to build your own Glock-style pistol from the comfort of your home” and claimed “nearly anyone with a brain” could assemble it. Six days after receiving the kit, Henry took his own life.
Thomas Law Offices served as co-lead trial counsel for Henry’s mother, Laura Herp, in her lawsuit against Husky Armory LLC and its parent company, Up North Media LLC. The lawsuit alleged that Husky sold kits that qualified as firearms under federal law without a license and that it did not verify Henry’s age or conduct a background check.
Federal law generally prohibits licensed firearm dealers from selling handguns to individuals under 21 and imposes background-check requirements on licensed dealers. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants’ sale of the kit violated applicable federal requirements. The jury also heard evidence concerning whether Henry would have passed a background check.
Husky Armory did not respond to the lawsuit, and the court entered a default judgment against the companies. In July 2026, a Jefferson County jury awarded $4.2 million in economic damages and $100 million in punitive damages, Louisville Public Media reported. The family’s attorneys described the verdict as the largest in U.S. history against a seller of firearms.
How Thomas Law Offices Investigates Firearm Cases
Whether a case involves a defective firearm or an allegedly unlawful firearm sale, determining what happened requires a detailed investigation.
Our attorneys work to identify the firearm or firearm components involved, preserve relevant evidence, determine how the product was manufactured and distributed, and identify the companies and individuals involved in the transaction or supply chain.
In a defective-firearm case, the investigation may focus on the firearm’s design, manufacturing process, components, warnings, instructions, recalls, prior complaints, and testing.
In a ghost-gun or unlawful-sale case, the investigation may instead focus on how the firearm or build kit was marketed and sold, whether required safeguards were followed, whether the seller was properly licensed, and whether the purchaser was legally permitted to receive the firearm or component.
Federal immunity does not protect every company or every type of conduct. Our attorneys investigate the facts, preserve relevant evidence, and pursue claims when the evidence supports holding a manufacturer, distributor, dealer, online seller, or another company responsible.
Companies involved in firearm manufacturing and distribution may have substantial resources and legal teams defending their interests. Thomas Law Offices is prepared to investigate complex firearm-related claims and advocate for individuals and families seeking compensation after a serious injury or wrongful death.
If your family has been affected by a firearm injury caused by an allegedly defective product, unlawful sale, or other negligent conduct, contact Thomas Law Offices to discuss your legal options. Call today to schedule a free case evaluation.
