Ryobi Hedge Trimmer Recall Lawsuit Alleges Defect Caused Finger Amputation

Federal regulators warned in June 2025 that certain Ryobi cordless hedge trimmers could activate when only one safety control was engaged.

A Texas couple has filed a product liability lawsuit alleging a Ryobi hedge trimmer activated while its safety features were engaged, nearly severing a man’s finger and leaving him with nerve damage, chronic pain and persistent numbness.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Keith and Dawn Provencher in Texas District Court on August 3, naming TTI Outdoor Power Equipment Inc., Techtronic Industries North America Inc., TTI Consumer Power Tools Inc., formerly known as One World Technologies Inc., TTI Power Equipment Manufacturing Inc. and Techtronic Industries Company Limited as defendants. The case was removed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on August 31.

The Provenchers claim the hedge trimmer’s safety system was defective because the blades could activate when only one of the two required controls was engaged. They allege TTI Outdoor and related defendants failed to properly design and test the trimmer or adequately warn consumers about the risk before Keith Provencher was injured.

Ryobi Hedge Trimmer Recall

Ryobi hedge trimmers are a kind of battery-powered garden tool used to cut, trim, shape and maintain bushes, hedges and other shrubbery. They are designed with double lock safety features that require the trigger and the safety control to be engaged at the same time before the trimmer will turn on.

However, TTI Outdoor, the maker of the Ryobi power tool, recalled the 40V cordless hedge trimmer in June 2025, after identifying that the blade can unexpectedly activate after pressing just the safety or trigger control individually, rather than engaging the safety and trigger controls simultaneously

In the months following the recall, a lawsuit was filed by an Alabama woman alleging the defective Ryobi hedge trimmer unexpectedly powered on and severed the tip of her middle finger. She suffered permanent disfigurement and ongoing pain due to the defective design.

Ryobi Hedge Trimmer Allegations

According to the complaint, Keith Provencher was putting away the Ryobi 40V 24-inch cordless hedge trimmer in his garage on October 6, 2024. While hanging up the hedge trimmer on the wall hook, the blades allegedly activated when the trimmer was still in his hand.

The filing indicates the blade cut through Provencher’s right ring finger and severed the bone. His finger remained attached only by the skin. Requiring immediate medical attention, he was taken by ambulance to the emergency room and underwent surgery.

Provencher claims he suffered deep lacerations and nerve damage to fingers on both hands, as well as the palm of his right hand. His injuries ultimately required a revision amputation of his right ring finger and additional surgery to address a deformity caused by the loss of his nail bed.

He indicates that he continues to experience pain and numbness in his hands and is likely to require additional surgeries in the future.

The complaint alleges the Ryobi hedge trimmer suffered from a defect that allowed the blades to activate without the safety features in place. The hedge trimmer is advertised to turn on only when the trigger and safety control are engaged at the same time. However, this was allegedly not the case for Provencher’s hedge trimmer.

The lawsuit claims the Ryobi hedge trimmer was defective and unreasonably dangerous. It goes on to argue that safer alternative designs were available which would have prevented or reduced the risk of injury, yet TTI Outdoors failed to use those designs.

Provencher further alleges that TTI Outdoor deceptively marketed the hedge trimmer and failed to warn consumers about the alleged safety defect. The lawsuit claims the company knew or should have known about the problem and should have recalled the trimmer before additional users were injured.

“Defendants’ conduct, when viewed objectively at the time it occurred, involved an extreme degree of risk considering the probability and magnitude of the potential harm to others, and Defendants had actual, subjective awareness of the risk involved but proceeded with conscious indifference to the rights, safety, and welfare of others.”

— Keith Provencher et al. v. TTI Outdoor Power Equipment Inc. et al.

The complaint raises allegations of strict products liability and negligence/gross negligence. It seeks compensation for Provencher’s physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, past and future medical expenses, physical disfigurement, physical impairment, loss of earning capacity and exemplary damages.

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