Taser Death Triggering Texas Wrongful Death Lawsuit
The family of mentally disabled man, who died in police custody after being shot twice with a Taser stun gun, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Fort Worth and one of its police officers. The lawsuit comes after a local medical examiner in Texas declared the man’s death a homicide caused by use of the Taser.
Michael Patrick Jacobs Jr., 24, died after being jolted with a Taser by police when they responded to a call that he was causing a disturbance outside his family’s home on April 18. The first Taser shot was used to deliver 50,000 volts of electricity for 49 seconds, which is substantially longer than the standard five seconds. After the extended shock, Jacobs was shocked a second time for five more seconds.
The medical examiner, Nizam Peerwani, ruled that the cause of Jacob’s death was “sudden death during neuromuscular incapacitation due to application of a conducted energy device.” There were no signs of drugs or abnormal conditions which could have contributed to his death, according to Peerwani’s report.
Texas Wrongful death cases are usually brought on behalf of the deceased by his or her close family members. Common types of wrongful death cases include:
- Medical mistakes
- Car or airplane accidents
- Criminal attacks
- Work-related exposure to dangerous conditions or substances
- Death during a supervised activity
When your Texas wrongful death suit goes to court, judges and juries will decide your amount of damages based on pecuniary injury. Meaning how much money the wrongful death cost the family. Damage awards will also include interest from the date the family member died.
In cases where cruelty may have been involved, the courts might also consider punishing the person responsible for the wrongful death. Usually, the laws regarding these punitive damages vary from state to state. Your lawyer will be able to tell you whether punitive damages will be considered. Contact a Texas Wrongful Death Lawyer Today for a Free Consultation.