A man who chopped off part of his finger with a “defective” circular saw he bought from Amazon is suing the online retail giant for up to £60,000 compensation.
Marketing consultant Fabio Tresoldi, 69, bought the Chinese-made Vevor power tool using his Amazon Prime account in order to do some work at his home in London’s Docklands.
But he ended up badly injured when the blade of the machine sliced into his digit, leading to a partial amputation of the index finger on his dominant hand.
Mr Tresoldi complained to Amazon and then launched a High Court claim for up to £60,000 in compensation on the basis that the company sold him a “defective” product.
Just months after his accident, the UK Government’s Office for Product Safety and Standards warned that the Vevor saw was a “serious risk” to users as “the blade is accessible by hand from the side,” said his lawyers.
Multiple other Vevor tools were subject to product recalls or refused entry at the UK border in 2023 on grounds that they posed serious safety risks to users, having been “identified as presenting a risk of electric shock, fire, burns and injuries”.
In documents filed at the London court, Amazon Services Europe says it has now “admitted liability” for the accident, but is set to dispute the amount in damages the DIY enthusiast is due.
The tool which Mr Tresoldi bought was advertised on Amazon as a “Vevor Portable Benchtop Table Saw Woodworking Cutting Polishing Carving Machine Woodworking Cutting Machine with Countertop”.
It was marketed as a “portable smooth wood table top for woodworking machines for cutting, polishing and carving. Maximum motor speed up to 10,000 rpm, which enables extremely powerful cutting performance. Ideal tool for DIY at home without noise pollution. Enjoy the fun of creating works of art from wood!”
Mr Tresoldi’s purchase came in September 2022, months before the UK Government’s Office for Product Safety and Standards warned that it was a “serious risk” to users as “the blade is accessible by hand from the side,” said his lawyers.
It resulted in a safety report being issued about multiple other Vevor products, with some being destroyed at the UK border.
However, the move came too late for Mr Tresoldi, who, when he used the tool, “suffered an injury which resulted in the partial amputation of his dominant index finger.”
Mr Tresoldi’s lawyers alleged that the saw was “defective” for the purposes of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and not compliant with relevant safety standards in place at the time.
Amazon had “held itself out as producer of the table saw, was the importer of the table saw into the UK or was the supplier of the table saw into the UK,” they claimed in court documents.
A claim in contract law was also brought, alleging that the power tool was not of satisfactory quality.
In a defence document submitted to the court last month, Amazon’s lawyer Ellie Finch said the company had admitted liability “for the purposes of this claim only.”
However, she added that, “no admissions are made as to the claimant’s alleged injuries or symptoms” and that he would be “required to prove the fact, nature, extent and causation thereof.”
The issues in the case have not yet gone before a judge, but it will be listed for a hearing at a later date, unless the parties agree to settle outside of court.
In a statement, Mr Tresoldi said: “Besides my personal situation, I am enormously concerned about consumer rights, and I never wanted a legal fight.
“In fact, when I initially contacted Amazon, I just wanted to be reassured that the appliance I purchased was made in accordance with existing UK safety regulations.”
