Taser Loses Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Shannon Weidemann — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 21:13:00 GMT

Taser International has lost a wrongful death lawsuit for the first time. They have been sued a number of times but have never been found at fault. A family sued them and said that the company failed to inform the Salinas Police Department of the risk of shocking someone mulitple times. The jury agreed and awarded the family $5.2 Million.

Heston, 40, died 30 hours after receiving 25 shots from five deployments of stun guns. Taser and the city of Salinas had argued Heston went into cardiac arrest because he had high levels of drugs in his system, including methamphetamine.

The family is hoping that Taser International will make adjustments to their policies. The Salinas Police Department has no plans to change their procedures unless sent new instructions from Taser. The city of Salinas and the officers involved were found not liable in the man's death. The company plans to appeal the verdict.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

$2.7 Million Awarded in Ohio Wrongful Death Case

Shannon Weidemann — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:26:00 GMT

A mother has been fighting for 10 years to prove that Franklin County could have prevented her daughter's death. A jury found the county negligent and awarded her $2.7 Million in a wrongful death lawsuit. Her daughter called 911 three times and it took dispatchers 26 minutes to send an officer to her home. The police officer did not hear anything from inside the apartment when he knocked on the door and left. The victim was being assaulted by her estranged boyfriend, information that was not given to Officer Ratliff.

Two other dispatchers testified they had more information they did not give Ratliff, including the fact that Kirk could be heard yelling at a male in the background and that the violence appeared to be escalating.

Ratliff testified that he never knew about that and that he would have burst into the apartment had he known Kirk was inside fighting for her life. Moss later confessed to the killing, saying he had been trying to smother Kirk as Ratliff knocked on her door.

The county argued that the estranged boyfriend was responsible for the death and they plan to appeal the verdict. Kirk's mother feels as if a great weight has been lifted from her. The assistant county prosecutor counseled the county to settle for less but they decided to go to trial.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Montgomery Personal Injury Lawyer - Wrongful Death

Taser Loses Wrongful Death Lawsuit

$2.7 Million Awarded in Ohio Wrongful Death Case