Taser Lawsuit Settlements: A Guide

If you were wrongfully tased by the police, you could receive a significant taser lawsuit settlement.

The unreasonable use of a taser by law enforcement is a form of police brutality. The amount of compensation you can receive is dependent on the specifics of your case. This guide provides an overview of various taser lawsuits and their payouts. As you can see, the payout range for taser lawsuits can vary widely.

If you were unreasonably tased by the police in New York City, contact us today. We can evaluate your case and make sure that you get fairly compensated for the police misconduct.

$3,000,000 Taser Lawsuit Settlement

On June 26, 2014, San Diego’s sheriff received a call from a woman complaining of a group of men threatening her. Deputy Haddad responded and spotted Marcial Torres with the woman in a nearby parking lot. Haddad approached Mr. Torres as he appeared to fit the description of the man described by the woman who placed the call. Haddad then drew his taser and instructed Torres to comply. When Mr. Torres began to walk away, Haddad tased him three times.

Mr. Torres fell to the ground, begging the officer to stop as his heart stopped. His face turned blue, and he began foaming at the mouth. Despite this, the officer continued to tase him. Paramedics arrived and resuscitated Torres, who was then transferred to Tri-City Hospital, where he spent five months in a coma. As a result of the incident, Torres had both legs amputated, several fingers cut off, and he suffered severe loss of brain function. Mr. Torres agreed to a $3,000,000 settlement to resolve the taser lawsuit with the San Diego Police Department.

$2,250,000 Taser Lawsuit Settlement

In August 2010, 23-year-old Matthew Hook was fleeing police in Perry, Ohio, after being spotted driving a stolen van. While attempting to climb over a fence during his escape, Officer Shawn Bean tased him in the back, causing Mr. Hook to fall onto concrete and hit his head. Hook, who was unarmed, suffered permanent brain damage from the fall. His family stated that he is now emotionally unstable and requires constant medical monitoring.

The police brutality lawsuit alleged that the officer used excessive force and was reckless in tasing Hook while he was on the fence. After the township’s attempt to dismiss the case was denied by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the township’s insurance carrier negotiated a settlement of $2,250,000.

$1,500,000 Taser Lawsuit Settlement

On November 29, 2022, Kenneth Espinoza was stopped on the side of the road in Trinidad, Colorado. He had been waiting for his son’s car to catch up as they were driving together. Police officers Las Animas Lt. Henry Trujillo and County Sheriff Deputy Mikhail Noel approached him, ordered him to continue driving, and immediately told him to stop his vehicle.

They then dragged Mr. Espinoza out of his car, handcuffed him, and attempted to place him into the back of a patrol car. A struggle ensued, during which the officers threatened to tase Espinoza. Their Bodycam footage revealed that they tased him multiple times, including on his face. Espinoza filed a lawsuit the following May, and the two officers involved were subsequently fired. City officials granted a $1,500,000 settlement.

$900,000 Taser Lawsuit Settlement

On October 16, 2018, in Kingstree, South Carolina, an 86-year-old grandfather was involved in a brief quarter-mile police chase after a 911 call reported his Ford SUV tailgating other vehicles. The elderly man, prone to occasional confusion, stopped and exited his vehicle as officers approached. Dashcam video showed him raising his hands and retreating from three officers. When the officers attempted to handcuff him, he pulled away and retreated further. One officer then tased him, causing him to fall and hit his head on the pavement. This resulted in a broken nose and cuts to his head and face.

He was taken to Williamsburg Regional Hospital and then transferred to McLeod Regional Medical Center, where he spent several weeks in intensive care due to brain bleeding. Furthermore, he eventually required a medically induced coma. Officers justified the tasing by claiming it was to prevent the man from being struck by traffic, but the dashcam video showed no immediate traffic threat. After the footage emerged, the Kingstree Police Department quickly settled with the victim and his family for $900,000.

$150,000 Taser Lawsuit Verdict

On February 4, 2019, at 11 pm, Brandon Davis, a 32-year-old autistic man, was walking through a park from a friend’s house to his mother’s house. As he exited the park, two Cincinnati Police Department officers stopped him. Despite Mr. Davis’ assertions that he was doing nothing wrong, they shoved him into a fence, tased him, and held him on the ground while repeatedly tasing him. In total, they tased him seven times in just over two minutes. He was falsely arrested and charged with resisting arrest and jaywalking. Davis filed a lawsuit claiming he was targeted solely for being a black man walking alone at night. A jury verdict awarded him a $150,000 settlement.

$100,000 Taser Lawsuit Settlement

On April 11, 2015, 35-year-old Yancy Carden and his wife Kelli were at Club Hollywood, a bar in Washington Park, Illinois, when they got into a fight over a $200 bill. The fight escalated, and Officer James Boyd, who happened to be nearby, arrested them and handcuffed them to a chain. Mr. Carden began to kick, scream, and verbally abuse everyone around him. Officer Boyd ordered him to calm down, but when Carden did not calm down, Officer Boyd tased him. The following day, former village police sergeant Kevin McAfee reviewed the videotape of the incident and consequently wrote a “Supplemental Offense Report” against Boyd, requesting an official review of the incident and disciplinary action.

In the meantime, Carden was charged with a felony count of damaging government property and a misdemeanor battery count, to which he pleaded guilty. He was given probation and ordered to pay a fine and court costs. Carden then filed a lawsuit alleging that the use of a taser against him was an excessive use of force and in violation of the Fourth Amendment and federal law. He sought $100,000 for physical injuries and emotional distress. The lawsuit was settled for $100,00 by city officials.

$67,000 Taser Lawsuit Settlement

In August 2010, in Chariton, Iowa, Cherish “Amy” Storm was pulled over by officer Tyler Ruble for a routine stop, during which she allegedly became “hysterical”. Two days earlier, Ms. Storm had undergone electroconvulsive therapy. When she did not comply with his orders during the stop, Officer Ruble handcuffed her and placed her in the squad car. He believed she was a threat to herself and others on the road. Despite her boyfriend’s explanations that she had just received electroconvulsive therapy and had a mental disability, the officer tased her multiple times.

Ms. Storm was convicted of interference with official police acts and assault causing bodily injury. She received a one-year probation and a $250 fine. Ms. Storm filed a lawsuit against Officer Ruble, Police Chief Jeff Johnson, and the city of Chariton. She alleged civil rights violations for unreasonable search and seizure, as well as assault and battery. She received a settlement of $67,500 from city officials.

$37,000 Taser Lawsuit Settlement

In 2004, in Brattleboro, Vermont, Jeffrey Scott was in a hot tub at his home when local police kicked down his door, approached him, and dragged him out of the tub. Accusing him of drunk driving earlier in the day, the officers tased him numerous times to make him comply.

After police video and audio recordings were reviewed, charges against Mr. Scott were dropped. Scoot then pressed charges for assault, battery, negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent use of a taser. In 2008, a settlement of $37,500 was reached.

$10,000 Taser Lawsuit Settlement

In 2005, Jarrid McKee and his friends exited the Dawg House Bar in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. A local police officer saw Mr. McKee crawl into the back seat of his girlfriend’s car, allegedly drunk. The officer then pulled him out of the car and threw him to the ground. After McKee protested, the officer handcuffed and tased him. When one of McKee’s friends told the officer that he had done nothing wrong, the officer tased him as well. Neither McKee nor his friends were charged with any crime. Their attorney filed a lawsuit alleging excessive force, seeking $10,000 in damages. A $10,000 settlement was eventually reached.

Need Help with a Taser Lawsuit?

If you or a loved one was wrongfully tased by the police, you may be entitled to significant compensation. If you have a potential claim to sue the NYPD, contact us for a free consultation. We can strategize to make sure you receive maximum compensation and hold the police accountable.