Weber Grill Brush Injury Lawsuit Claims Detached Bristle Caused Permanent Vision Damage

Lawsuit alleges metal bristle detached from a Weber grill brush and struck the man in the eye.

A New York man has filed a product liability lawsuit alleging he suffered corneal injuries and permanent vision issues after a metal bristle detached from a Weber grill brush while he was barbecuing.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Bruce Lynch in the U.S. District Court of New York on May 18, naming Weber-Stephen Products LLC, Weber Inc. and Amazon.com Services LLC as defendants.

Lynch claims a metal bristle detached from the brush during normal use and flew off the grill, stabbing him in the eye. He required medical treatment for severe eye injuries, including permanent damage to his vision.

Weber Grill Brush Recall 

Weber Grill brushes are used to clean hot barbecue grills and other cooking equipment. They are made with plastic or wooden handles and metal bristle wires. However, in recent years dozens of injuries have been linked to the brushes’ allegedly faulty design.

Consumers and the manufacturer have reported that the bristles may detach from the brush head during normal use and stick to the grill. The loose bristles can then transfer to food, creating a risk of ingestion and internal injury.

Following consumer complaints, Weber issued a massive wire grill brush recall in February, removing more than 3.2 million grill brushes from the market. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) indicated it had received nearly 40 reports of injuries linked to the recalled grill brushes.

Weber Grill Brush Injury Allegations

The complaint indicates Lynch purchased a Weber grill brush from Amazon in April 2020 and began using it as directed to clean his barbecue grill. In April 2023, while using the brush as intended, a metal bristle allegedly detached from the brush head and entered the grill area. As Lynch removed food from the barbecue, the bristle struck his right eye and pierced his cornea.

Lynch sought treatment from a local ophthalmologist, who removed the metal bristle from his eye and treated him with antibiotic and steroid drops.

During follow up visits, the doctor also removed rust left by the metal and diagnosed him with corneal injury and permanent scarring. Lynch continues to suffer from eye pain, reduced and blurred vision, corneal scarring, difficulty driving, burning in the eye, sensitivity to light, difficulty reading, sleep disruption, headaches, tearing and anxiety.

Following his injury, Lynch received an automated email from Amazon on February 26, 2026, indicating a recall had been issued for Weber grill brushes.

The lawsuit alleges Weber should have known of the product defect yet placed the grill brushes into the stream of commerce, despite the foreseeable risk of injury. Moreover, Lynch claims Weber waited until there were 38 documented reports of injury before issuing a recall. The recall was issued after Lynch suffered injuries.

“Unbeknownst to the general public, and to the Plaintiff in particular, consumers have been complaining to Weber, to retailers, and to government safety agencies for years prior to the sale of the particular product at issue here, and the possibility of consequences like Plaintiff’s resulting injury, without any action or warning on the part of Weber Defendants or their retailers.”

— Bruce Lynch v. Weber-Stephen Products LLC

Lynch raises allegations of strict products liability, manufacturing defect, design defect, failure to warn, negligence, negligent misrepresentation, breach of implied warranty, breach of express warranty, and violation of various New York state laws. He seeks relief for medical expenses, pain and suffering, economic losses and punitive damages.

Weber Grill Brush Lawsuits

Following the CPSC recall, a number of Weber Grill Brush lawsuits have been filed in courts nationwide over various injury claims.

The litigation includes at least one incident involving an infant who allegedly swallowed a metal bristle that detached from a brush and lodged in his food. The child required immediate medical intervention and ongoing medical treatment.

A separate product liability lawsuit was brought by a Florida man after a metal bristle from a Weber grill brush punctured his intestine, resulting in the need for emergency bowel resection surgery.

In many cases, plaintiffs allege that Weber knew about the danger of bristles detaching from brushes, yet the company failed to disclose the risk or issue a timely recall to prevent additional injuries from occurring.

In addition to personal injury claims, a Weber grill brush class action lawsuit was brought in March as a result of the wire grill brushes’ design defects.

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