Lawsuit Claims Ryobi Pressure Washer Explosion Resulted in Severe Eye Injury

Ryobi later changed the pressure washer to use a more durable material, which the complaint points to as a sign the manufacturer knew it was defective.

A Texas man has filed a product liability lawsuit alleging a Ryobi pressure washer exploded, firing a piece of debris into his eye and causing permanent vision loss.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Eddie Shavers, Jr. in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas on April 9, naming Ryobi Technologies Inc. and One World Technologies Inc. as defendants.

Shavers’ lawsuit indicates the manufacturers knew of certain design flaws that could lead to the pressure washer failing, yet failed to address or warn about those risks.

Ryobi Pressure Washer Recall

A pressure washer uses a gas engine or electric motor to pressurize water at high levels to clean dirt, grease, mold, paint and other substances from surfaces like vehicles, house siding and concrete. It is connected to a garden hose, pressurizing the water into a powerful stream.

More than 750,000 Ryobi pressure washers were recalled last year, following hundreds of reports of explosions, which led to dozens of injuries. Consumers suffered a range of trauma to fingers, hands, faces and eyes, according to incident reports.

As a result, a number of Ryobi pressure washer lawsuits have been filed, alleging consumers were injured due to defectively designed Ryobi pressure washers. The complaints all claim those devices posed a risk of injury to users.

Ryobi Pressure Washer Lawsuit

Shavers, an E6 Food Specialist in the U.S. Army at Fort Hood, Texas, was using the pressure washer at home in August 2025 when it suddenly stopped working. With the wand pointed away from him and to the ground, the pressure washer suddenly exploded like a “gunshot.” The built-up pressure caused the threaded inlet fastener to separate and strike Shavers violently in the left eye, the lawsuit claims.

As a result of the explosion, Shavers indicates he sustained permanent damage to his left eye. He has undergone multiple eye surgeries but still experiences blurred vision and will require additional procedures. According to the lawsuit, he will likely be medically discharged from the Army due to his permanent disability.

The lawsuit alleges that testing showed the pressure washer had a defect that caused progressive stress cracking in the device, eventually leading to a sudden fracture. According to the complaint, Ryobi later manufactured pressure washers with more durable material in that same area, which helped prevent similar failures. The lawsuit claims this design change amounted to a tacit admission that Ryobi knew the original design was defective.

“The Subject Fitting contained a latent manufacturing defect, including but not limited to foreign material, a material discontinuity, and/or unusually weak or improperly manufactured material, which reduced the structural integrity of the component and caused slow, progressive crack propagation followed by a rapid final fracture, allowing pressurized water to escape uncontrollably from the trigger handle and resulting in a sudden discharge of the Subject Fitting during ordinary use.”

– Eddie Shavers, Jr. v Ryobi Technologies Inc. et al

The complaint raises allegations of product liability, manufacturing defect and design defect. Shavers is seeking compensation for past and future medical expenses, physical pain and suffering, loss of earning capacity, disfigurement, physical impairment, and court costs.

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