Archive for Sunday, May 7, 2006
Training incident spurs Taser lawsuit
May 7, 2006
Advertisement
KANSAS CITY, KAN. — A former Kansas City, Kan., police officer has filed a lawsuit against Taser International Inc., contending an electrical shock from a Taser stun gun during a training exercise caused muscle contractions severe enough to fracture one of his vertebrae.
David Howard has sued Taser International of Scottsdale, Ariz., accusing the company of misleading police departments about the potential for injuries to officers during training.
In an answer to the lawsuit filed last week, Taser International denied Howard's claims, saying his injuries, in part, could have been caused by an existing condition.
Howard, who left the force after the February 2004 training incident, is seeking an unspecified amount in actual and punitive damages in the federal lawsuit.
As part of its training program, Taser International suggests officers receive a shock to demonstrate the effectiveness of the weapon. Howard claims Taser International failed to include in its training programs a report by one of its consultants concluding that muscle contractions from the weapons could cause fractures.
Howard's case is one of more than a dozen similar lawsuits filed by police officers nationwide against Taser International. The company was battling nearly 50 lawsuits alleging injury or wrongful death caused by the stun guns in 2005.
The company maintains the Taser was reasonably safe for its intended use when it left the manufacturer and was not defective.
It also said it had provided the appropriate warnings and instructions.
Taser International also has moved to have the lawsuit dismissed or the proceedings stayed because Howard had filed an identical lawsuit in August in the Maricopa County Superior Court in Arizona.
Howard could not be reached for comment last week.
Howard had filed his latest lawsuit without an attorney in Wyandotte County District Court in February. It was moved to U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., late last month.
More like this
- Kansas among states suing Taser August 21, 2005
- First lawsuit against Taser goes to trial December 1, 2005
- Orders, concerns rise for stun guns November 30, 2004
- Deputies will soon carry Tasers 1 comment / October 9, 2005
- Experts dispute risks of using stun guns on pregnant women 1 comment / January 31, 2007
Top ads RSS
- Police accuse 'victim' in Long John Silver's break-in of lying, committing crime himself November 11, 2009 · 41 comments
- Blog: What's Your Stripper Name? November 12, 2009 · 15 comments
- On the street: Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? November 12, 2009 · 7 comments
- Muslims troops deserve support November 12, 2009 · 32 comments
- Blog: Someone Asked For A Different Question November 12, 2009 · 2 comments
- Poll: When is it the right time to put up Christmas decorations? November 11, 2009 · 10 comments
- Lou Dobbs resigns from CNN November 12, 2009 · 6 comments
- County endorses CritiTech proposal November 12, 2009 · 7 comments
- Attorneys of man who says he killed George Tiller ask for change of venue November 12, 2009 · 7 comments
- Mormons throw support behind gay-rights cause November 12, 2009 · 6 comments
- Kansas conservation activist Jan Garton dies at 59 November 11, 2009
- A month later, Aberdeen residents still waiting to enter their burned apartments November 11, 2009
- Sunflower School educator chosen as Lawrence Master Teacher November 11, 2009
- Report: Nearly 6 million children die from hunger November 23, 2005
- Phoenix prep signs with KU November 11, 2009
- Douglas County ceremony honors America's veterans November 11, 2009
- H1N1 clinics begin Wednesday at Lawrence schools November 11, 2009
- New, legal, drug has law enforcement concerned — and it's already on a Lawrence store's shelves November 4, 2009
- Recipe for change: Film battles policies of industrial food giants November 11, 2009
- Independent counsel behind Bill Clinton investigation will speak at KU November 11, 2009
8 May 2006
at 1:39 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
YoungNWild1 (Anonymous) says…
WHy was he such an idiot to taser himself in training anyways?? Yeah to me this just sounds lke another cop trying to get him self al little extra money on the side