Missouri Police Chief Sues Taser International for Injuries

By Merylee Robbins

Published on August 22, 2005

After being shocked with the Taser, Officer Herring experienced two strokes, a head injury, cardiac damage, and impairment of his vision and hearing. Herring's lawsuit is one of many against the manufacturer, as approximately 30 individuals around the United States are claiming severe injury and even death as a result of being shocked by Tasers. Since 2003, Taser has been sued 14 times for cases similar to Herring's, involving severe injuries inflicted by the Tasers during law enforcement training exercises. Lawsuits against the company are also on the rise from individuals injured or killed by Tasers during arrest or detention by police officers. Presently, Taser International is facing 12 wrongful death suits and 4 injury lawsuits for law enforcement inflicted injuries and deaths.

Despite the overwhelming number of suits against Taser Internation, the company still maintains that is products are safe and plans to challenge all of the lawsuits, calling them baseless and frivolous. However, experts are finding that the Tasers are far from safe, as last month in a case filed by the family of a man shocked by police and allegedly killed by a Taser, the medical examiner concluded that the main cause of death was the 57 second shock administered with the Taser, even though he was found to be under the influence of methamphetamine at the time. Of the Taser related deaths that have been reported, those involving individuals encountered by law enforcement officers have often been discovered to involve individuals who were intoxicated at the time. As a result, Taser International is examining the contributing effects of drugs and alcohol on the fatal impact of shock.

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