Expert Grill Brush Recall: Help for People Hurt by Wire Bristles

If you or a family member swallowed a wire bristle from a brush included in the Expert Grill brush recall, you may be able to file a product liability claim for medical bills, lost wages, pain, and other losses. The Law Offices of Jason Turchin can review your situation for free. Call 800-337-7755.

Grilling is part of everyday life in Florida. Backyard cookouts, tailgates, and holiday gatherings often include a quick scrub of the grates with a wire brush before the food goes on. Most people never think twice about that step. But a reported recall involving millions of Expert Grill brushes sold at Walmart has drawn new attention to a hazard that doctors and safety advocates have raised for years. Thin metal bristles can break loose, stick to the grill, transfer to food, and end up being swallowed.

What We Know About the Expert Grill Brush Recall

According to a report, roughly 4.4 million Expert Grill brushes sold through Walmart have been recalled because their wire bristles may detach during use. Once a bristle comes loose, it can cling to the cooking grates. It may then stick to a burger, a chicken breast, or a piece of corn, where it is very hard to see.

Expert Grill is a store brand sold at Walmart, so the recalled brushes may have reached a very large number of homes across Florida and the rest of the country. Many of these brushes may still be hanging next to grills or sitting in garage drawers. If you own an Expert Grill brush, we encourage you to stop using it and check the official recall notice from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). That notice lists the affected models and explains the remedy offered to consumers.

A recall does not automatically mean every injury will lead to a successful claim. It can, however, be important evidence that a product posed a risk to the people using it as intended.

Why Wire Bristles Can Be So Dangerous

A single grill brush bristle is small, thin, and often the same dark color as charred food. It can be nearly impossible to spot on a plate. People usually do not realize something is wrong until they feel a sharp pain while chewing or swallowing, or until symptoms appear hours or days later.

Once swallowed, a bristle can lodge in many places, including:

• The tonsils, tongue, or back of the throat
• The esophagus
• The stomach
• The small or large intestine

Because the bristle is rigid and pointed, it may puncture tissue as it moves through the digestive tract. Doctors may need imaging, such as a CT scan, to find it. Some patients need an endoscopy to remove the wire. Others may need surgery, especially if the bristle has worked its way through the wall of the bowel or into nearby tissue.

Injuries Linked to Swallowed Grill Brush Bristles

Injuries from swallowed wire bristles can range from minor irritation to serious, life-altering harm. Possible injuries may include:

• Throat and mouth lacerations: cuts or punctures to the tongue, tonsils, or throat
• Esophageal injury: tears or perforations that can make swallowing painful or dangerous
• Gastrointestinal perforation: a hole in the stomach or intestine that may require emergency surgery
• Infection and abscesses: bacteria spreading from a puncture site into surrounding tissue
• Complications from procedures: risks tied to anesthesia, endoscopy, or abdominal surgery

Children may face added risks. They may not be able to describe what they feel, and a small wire can do more harm in a smaller body.

Warning Signs to Watch For After Grilled Food

If you ate grilled food cooked on grates cleaned with a wire brush, pay attention to symptoms such as:

• A sharp, stabbing, or “something is stuck” feeling in the throat
• Pain when swallowing
• Drooling or trouble swallowing saliva, especially in children
• Abdominal pain that gets worse over time
• Fever, nausea, or vomiting
• Blood in saliva, vomit, or stool

These symptoms can have many causes. Only a doctor can determine whether a bristle is involved. Tell the medical team that you recently ate grilled food and that a wire brush was used, because that detail may change which tests they order.

What to Do If You Were Hurt by an Expert Grill Brush

The steps you take after an injury can affect both your health and any potential claim. Consider the following:

1. Get medical care first. Your health comes before anything else.
2. Keep the brush. Do not throw it away or return it yet. The brush itself may be key evidence. Store it in a bag where it will not be damaged.
3. Save the bristle if it was removed. Ask your medical provider whether the removed wire can be preserved or documented.
4. Keep proof of purchase. Receipts, Walmart app order history, bank statements, or packaging can help show where and when you bought it.
5. Photograph everything. Take pictures of the brush, the grill, and any visible injuries.
6. Write down what happened. Note the date, the food you ate, who was present, and when symptoms started.
7. Talk with a lawyer before signing anything. Recall refunds or replacement programs may come with paperwork, so it can help to understand your rights first.

Who May Be Responsible for a Grill Brush Injury?

Under Florida law, more than one company in a product’s chain of distribution may be held responsible when a defective product injures someone. Depending on the facts, potentially responsible parties may include:

• The company that designed the brush
• The manufacturer that built it
• Distributors and importers
• The retailer that sold it

Because Expert Grill is sold through Walmart, questions about the retailer’s role may come up. Our team also handles Walmart injury lawsuits in Florida, and that experience can help when a claim involves a large retailer and its store brands.

Product liability claims often rely on one or more legal theories:

• Design defect: the brush may have been designed in a way that allowed bristles to come loose too easily.
• Manufacturing defect: a specific batch may not have been made according to its own design, such as bristles that were poorly secured.
• Failure to warn: the packaging may not have adequately warned users about the risk of loose bristles or how to inspect grates.
• Negligence or breach of warranty: a company may have failed to act with reasonable care or failed to deliver a product fit for its ordinary use.

You can learn more about how these cases work on our product liability lawyers page.

Damages You May Be Able to Recover

Each case is different, and no lawyer can promise a particular outcome. In a Florida product liability claim, injured people may be able to seek compensation for:

• Emergency room visits, imaging, endoscopy, and surgery
• Hospital stays and follow-up care
• Future medical treatment
• Lost wages and reduced earning ability
• Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
• Loss of enjoyment of life

In the most tragic cases, when a defective product contributes to a death, certain family members may be able to bring a wrongful death claim. Families dealing with a loss may also have questions about insurance benefits. Our article on Florida life insurance claims may help.

Florida Deadlines and Rules That May Affect Your Claim

Florida law sets time limits for filing injury lawsuits. In 2023, Florida shortened the deadline for many negligence claims to two years. Other types of claims, including some product liability claims, may follow different deadlines, and Florida also has rules that can limit claims based on a product’s age. Because these rules can be complicated, it is wise to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.

Florida also follows a modified comparative fault system. If an injured person is found partly at fault, their recovery may be reduced. Under the current rules, a person found more than 50 percent at fault may be barred from recovering in many negligence cases.

Other Grill and Kitchen Product Hazards

The Expert Grill brush recall is one of many recalls involving products people use to cook. Grills, pressure cookers, and other household items have been recalled for burn, laceration, and other hazards. You can read about a related outdoor cooking recall in our post on the Cuisinart Propel gas grill recall. Walmart store brands have also been the subject of other safety concerns, including those covered in our article on Walmart Equate heat wrap burn injuries.

Why Families Turn to the Law Offices of Jason Turchin

The Law Offices of Jason Turchin is a Florida personal injury firm that represents people hurt by defective products, unsafe premises, and negligent companies. Jason Turchin, Esq. and our team are experienced in handling product liability and recall-related claims, including cases involving consumer products sold by large national retailers.

When you contact us, we can:

• Listen to what happened and answer your questions in plain language
• Help you understand whether your brush may be part of the recall
• Explain what evidence to preserve and how
• Gather medical records and purchase information
• Deal with insurance companies and manufacturers so you can focus on recovering

We know that an unexpected injury can bring medical bills, missed work, and a lot of stress. Our goal is to make the legal side easier to understand.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Expert Grill Brush Recall

How do I know if my grill brush is part of the recall?

Check the brand name on the handle or packaging, then compare your brush with the models listed in the official CPSC recall notice. If you are unsure, keep the brush and contact us. We can help you look into it.

Can I file a claim if I no longer have the brush?

You may still have options. Receipts, photos, medical records, and testimony from people who were present may help show what product was used. Having the brush is helpful, but it is not always the only path.

Do I need to have needed surgery to have a claim?

Not necessarily. Injuries that required an emergency visit, imaging, or an endoscopy may also support a claim. The strength of a claim can depend on the injury, the evidence, and the costs involved.

Can I file a claim for my child?

In many cases, parents or legal guardians can pursue a claim on behalf of a minor child. Parents may also be able to recover certain expenses they paid for the child’s care.

Should I accept a refund or replacement from the recall?

A recall remedy is generally meant to address the product, not your injuries. Before signing any paperwork or sending the brush back, it can be a good idea to talk with a lawyer so you do not lose important evidence.

How much does it cost to talk with your firm?

Your initial consultation is free. We can explain how fees work during that conversation, before you make any decisions.

Is there a class action for the Expert Grill brush?

People with physical injuries often pursue individual claims, because each person’s injuries and losses are different. Whether group litigation develops can depend on many factors. We can talk with you about which approach may fit your situation.

Talk With a Florida Product Liability Lawyer Today

If a wire bristle from an Expert Grill brush caused you or someone you love to need medical care, you do not have to sort through the next steps alone. The Law Offices of Jason Turchin can review what happened, explain your options, and help you decide how to move forward. Call 800-337-7755 or contact us online for a free consultation.