Personal Injury Law

Fort Worth Pays $2 Million In Taser Death

By Louthian Law Firm

The city of Fort Worth has offered the family of a man killed by an officer's Taser $2 million to settle their lawsuit, although the city admits no wrong doing, reports the Star-Telegram.

On April 18, 2009, police were called to the home of the man's parents because he was causing a disturbance. Although he had a history of mental illness, the officer fired two Taser shots to bring him down - one hitting him in the neck and one hitting him in the chest. He then fell face down onto the ground. When he did not comply with the officers' instructions to put his hands behind his back, an officer pulled the Taser trigger two more times. The man stopped breathing and was pronounced dead a short time later at John Peter Smith Hospital.

Four months following the death, Phoenix-based Taser International issued a bulletin advising the darts not be shot into a person's chest "when possible." In addition, when shot at people showing symptoms of exhaustion, distress or agitated delirium, they are at "significant risk of arrest-related death."

Wrongful death is a death cause by the carelessness or misconduct of another person or organization - including failure to act to avert a death. The experienced attorneys at Louthian Law are dedicated to helping families of wrongful death victims. Contact the Louthian Law Firm today at 1-866-410-5656 or online for a free evaluation of your case.

Taser Wrongful Death

Full post as published by South Carolina Lawyer Blog on May 19, 2010 (boomark / email).