Taser Loses 1st Product-Liability Suit; Jury Awards $6 Million

mimo2005 · 06-09-2008, 06:03 AM

Taser Loses 1st Product-Liability Suit; Jury Awards $6 Million

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...QLpZk&refer=us

bry623 · 06-09-2008, 07:04 AM

But it looks like they are only responsible for 15% of it.

Tort reform.

**Drew1369** · 06-09-2008, 10:24 AM

This is rediculas, there are warnings all over tasers and in the manuals. Oh well... can't account for the stupidity of juries

**simpswr** · 06-09-2008, 11:26 AM

Wonder if he would have survived if they used a .45 instead of the Taser???

**Chode** · 06-09-2008, 02:22 PM

It will be interesting to see what the appeals court says about this, but possibly over looked in the third paragraph of the Bloomberg article is the information that Taser has been involved in at least 11 lawsuits involving training accidents with law enforcement personnel. Frankly, this really has to make you question the effectiveness of Taser's safety warnings.

Personally, I think Taser downplays the hazards of their product, and would like everyone to believe it's perfectly safe under any conditions. The disclaimers are in the fine print, I expect. Here's a video about why you should buy a Taser for your home. Don't get me wrong, I have no compunction about killing anyone threatening me or my family. But I think Taser has misrepresented their product, and their insistence that the weapon is non-lethal is almost a guarantee that it will be abused.

**sobeit** · 06-09-2008, 02:28 PM

what is it, 50,000 volts going through you when shot with a taser. I rather take a chance with that than being pop with a glock. Like anything else, it can be abused and be used to tortured but its still gives you a better chance of living without permanent injury.

I think all of these cases should be thrown out of court since it would never had happened if the person would have behaved him/herself.

**Chode** · 06-09-2008, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sobeit

I think all of these cases should be thrown out of court since it would never had happened if the person would have behaved him/herself.

So, I guess this includes the 11 cases involving law officers in training exercises? One of the problems with the way the press reports lawsuits, is that the details don't make good copy, so reports tend to lean to either "isn't this lawsuit frivolous" or "Big Business get what's coming" extremes. Frankly, sobeit, your assumption that anyone who gets tazed is automatically guilty and wouldn't have been zapped unless they had it coming is naive, and ignores the issue of why anyone has to zapped repeatedly.

bry623 · 06-10-2008, 06:47 AM

I believe that cops are held to the same shooting standards whether shooting a gun or Taser. They have to have some probable cause.

**sobeit** · 06-10-2008, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chode

So, I guess this includes the 11 cases involving law officers in training exercises? One of the problems with the way the press reports lawsuits, is that the details don't make good copy, so reports tend to lean to either "isn't this lawsuit frivolous" or "Big Business get what's coming" extremes. Frankly, sobeit, your assumption that anyone who gets tazed is automatically guilty and wouldn't have been zapped unless they had it coming is naive, and ignores the issue of why anyone has to zapped repeatedly.

as usual your own assumptions are way off. Most law officers are required to be tasers as part of their training. Its also required training before they are allowed to carry them in some places. IMO, since they know it is coming there is no case.

As far as being zapped repeatedly, you did not read my whole message. I did state that it is sometimes abused. And yes sometimes a person has to be zapped several times because of drugs or their inability to follow instructions.

One more thing, just because my opinion is different than yours dont mean its a naive one. Yours could be just as naive.

**Drew1369** · 06-10-2008, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bry623

I believe that cops are held to the same shooting standards whether shooting a gun or Taser. They have to have some probable cause.

Interesting note...

From what I know here in WA the use of force with the tasers are really low. If the individual being told what to do by the police say "no" it is non-compliance and they can taze you.

Why do people get upset with the cop when he/she tases someone because they were being non-compliant?

**Chode** · 06-10-2008, 11:50 AM

Drew, I don't really see the issue as being about failing to comply with a lawful order from law enforcement personnel; I see it in terms of a weapon that has an increased potential for abuse precisely because it is "non-lethal". I think Taser does indeed downplay the potential risks of the weapon. Certainly, a suspect is less likely to die from being tazed than shot, and the officer is a lot safer zapping a suspect than getting in close with a nightstick, but that isn't the same thing as saying that Taser has done a thorough job of explaining the potential lethality of the weapon.

sobeit, you still aren't addressing the issue of why 11 lawsuits have been filed against Taser by law enforcement officers involved in training accidents. Certainly, you would think that these were people who knew the job was dangerous when they took it. So why the suits? Taser settled these out of court, so aren't you just a bit curious about what you're not hearing? Finally, you seem to view all cops as selfless Paladins of Justice who could never be corrupt, or maybe just plain frightened people who might over-react and let their professionalism slip for a second. So, yeah, I going to stick with my assertion that you views are naive. The word you're actually looking for to describe mine, though, would be either "cynical" or "realistic" depending on your viewpoint.

bry623 · 06-10-2008, 12:39 PM

Go back to guns only................ dead men tell no tales.

**simpswr** · 06-10-2008, 12:59 PM

Cops accidentally discharge their weapons all the time . . why should an accident with a Taser be a supprise?

06-09-2008, 06:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
mimo2005 Manager, The Relaxation Room/Analyst, Security Team Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 10,620 OS: xp	Taser Loses 1st Product-Liability Suit; Jury Awards $6 Million Taser Loses 1st Product-Liability Suit; Jury Awards $6 Million http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...QLpZk&refer=us __________________ TSF has outgrown its server, again. Please help "Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi sed saepe cadendo"

06-09-2008, 07:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
bry623 Manager, The Conversation Pit/Analyst, Security Team Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: NW Territory circa 1787 Posts: 10,465 OS: winxp pro sp2	Re: Taser Loses 1st Product-Liability Suit; Jury Awards $6 Million But it looks like they are only responsible for 15% of it. Tort reform. __________________ Scarlet and Gray in L.A. 9/13/08

06-09-2008, 10:24 AM	#3 (permalink)
Drew1369 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 2,220 OS: Vista Business	Re: Taser Loses 1st Product-Liability Suit; Jury Awards $6 Million This is rediculas, there are warnings all over tasers and in the manuals. Oh well... can't account for the stupidity of juries __________________ Marge: We wouldn't be in this trouble if you'd just paid the heating bill! Homer: I thought global warming would take care of it! Al Gore can't do anything right!

06-09-2008, 11:26 AM	#4 (permalink)
simpswr Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: May 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 4,127 OS: XP, Vista	Re: Taser Loses 1st Product-Liability Suit; Jury Awards $6 Million Wonder if he would have survived if they used a .45 instead of the Taser??? __________________ Rich MemTest86 \| BIOS \| BenchTest \| Spyware Cleaning \| How to Post a Screen shot \| PC running slow

06-09-2008, 02:22 PM	#5 (permalink)
Chode TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 745 OS: Windows XP Pro	Re: Taser Loses 1st Product-Liability Suit; Jury Awards $6 Million It will be interesting to see what the appeals court says about this, but possibly over looked in the third paragraph of the Bloomberg article is the information that Taser has been involved in at least 11 lawsuits involving training accidents with law enforcement personnel. Frankly, this really has to make you question the effectiveness of Taser's safety warnings. Personally, I think Taser downplays the hazards of their product, and would like everyone to believe it's perfectly safe under any conditions. The disclaimers are in the fine print, I expect. Here's a video about why you should buy a Taser for your home. Don't get me wrong, I have no compunction about killing anyone threatening me or my family. But I think Taser has misrepresented their product, and their insistence that the weapon is non-lethal is almost a guarantee that it will be abused. __________________ Sweet!

06-09-2008, 02:28 PM	#6 (permalink)
sobeit Mentor Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NEAR Posts: 4,836 OS: windows/linux	Re: Taser Loses 1st Product-Liability Suit; Jury Awards $6 Million what is it, 50,000 volts going through you when shot with a taser. I rather take a chance with that than being pop with a glock. Like anything else, it can be abused and be used to tortured but its still gives you a better chance of living without permanent injury. I think all of these cases should be thrown out of court since it would never had happened if the person would have behaved him/herself. __________________ Do not feed the trolls.

06-10-2008, 06:47 AM	#8 (permalink)
bry623 Manager, The Conversation Pit/Analyst, Security Team Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: NW Territory circa 1787 Posts: 10,465 OS: winxp pro sp2	Re: Taser Loses 1st Product-Liability Suit; Jury Awards $6 Million I believe that cops are held to the same shooting standards whether shooting a gun or Taser. They have to have some probable cause. __________________ Scarlet and Gray in L.A. 9/13/08

06-10-2008, 11:50 AM	#11 (permalink)
Chode TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 745 OS: Windows XP Pro	Re: Taser Loses 1st Product-Liability Suit; Jury Awards $6 Million Drew, I don't really see the issue as being about failing to comply with a lawful order from law enforcement personnel; I see it in terms of a weapon that has an increased potential for abuse precisely because it is "non-lethal". I think Taser does indeed downplay the potential risks of the weapon. Certainly, a suspect is less likely to die from being tazed than shot, and the officer is a lot safer zapping a suspect than getting in close with a nightstick, but that isn't the same thing as saying that Taser has done a thorough job of explaining the potential lethality of the weapon. sobeit, you still aren't addressing the issue of why 11 lawsuits have been filed against Taser by law enforcement officers involved in training accidents. Certainly, you would think that these were people who knew the job was dangerous when they took it. So why the suits? Taser settled these out of court, so aren't you just a bit curious about what you're not hearing? Finally, you seem to view all cops as selfless Paladins of Justice who could never be corrupt, or maybe just plain frightened people who might over-react and let their professionalism slip for a second. So, yeah, I going to stick with my assertion that you views are naive. The word you're actually looking for to describe mine, though, would be either "cynical" or "realistic" depending on your viewpoint. __________________ Sweet!

06-10-2008, 12:39 PM	#12 (permalink)
bry623 Manager, The Conversation Pit/Analyst, Security Team Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: NW Territory circa 1787 Posts: 10,465 OS: winxp pro sp2	Re: Taser Loses 1st Product-Liability Suit; Jury Awards $6 Million Go back to guns only................ dead men tell no tales. __________________ Scarlet and Gray in L.A. 9/13/08

06-10-2008, 12:59 PM	#13 (permalink)
simpswr Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: May 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 4,127 OS: XP, Vista	Re: Taser Loses 1st Product-Liability Suit; Jury Awards $6 Million Cops accidentally discharge their weapons all the time . . why should an accident with a Taser be a supprise? __________________ Rich MemTest86 \| BIOS \| BenchTest \| Spyware Cleaning \| How to Post a Screen shot \| PC running slow