Fresh Lawsuits With 450 Plaintiffs Filed Against MGM In Las Vegas Shooting

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Fresh Lawsuits With 450 Plaintiffs Filed Against MGM In Las Vegas Shooting
Fresh Lawsuits With 450 Plaintiffs Filed Against MGM In Las Vegas Shooting

Attorneys who were among the first to file lawsuits after the recent Las Vegas mass shooting have filed four new cases on behalf of around 450 victims.

The lawyers Chad Pinkerton and Mo Aziz  have however filed the cases in Los Angeles and against the companies involved, including MGM Resorts International, which owns both the Mandalay Bay resort and the Route 91 Harvest Festival concert venue.

The Oct. 1 shooting has been called the worst ever shooting in U.S. history, claiming the lives of 58 people and injured hundreds.

Jury Must Not Influenced By Size Of The Casino Company

According to Pinkerton, the intention was to bring the cases before a jury that was likely to be less influenced by the size and power of a casino company that was Nevada’s largest employer and also active in its political circles.

He noted that Los Angeles was “a better venue for fairness”

In a news conference the lawyers announced that two wrongful death lawsuits, one lawsuit for a woman’s head injury and a final one on behalf of 450 persons claiming injuries had been filed

Pinkerton pointed out that MGM might be at an advantage in Nevada,  noting that the jury might include people who may have direct or indirect ties to the company which employs currently over 70,000 people.

MGM has responded stating that it will not be litigating lawsuits related to the shooting in the media. In earlier statements it has blamed the gunman Stephen Paddock for the shooting.

The new lawsuits includes other companies such as the concert promoter Live Nation Entertainment which is based out of California. In a statement, the company stated that it was saddened for those affected by the “senseless act of violence” and added that it was cooperating with the FBI in its investigation. It has so far refused to comment on the lawsuits.

According to court filings, the lawsuits are also seeking compensation for damages from Paddock’s estate.

The new cases include a re-filing  of a negligence claim that had originally been filed in Las Vegas on behalf of Paige Gasper who was severely wounded in the shooting. Additionally four new plaintiffs have been added to the case. The original case in Las Vegas has been dismissed.

Pinkerton pointed out that most of his clients were from California and many were getting their treatment in that state.

 

Lawsuits Likely To Be Consolidated

The lawsuits were not currently class-action , but Aziz said that he was expecting the cases to get consolidated as they proceed to pretrial investigations and evidence exchange.

The new lawsuits follow a series of cases that were filed in Nevada state court last week on behalf of 14 concertgoers who were shot, injured or claim to have been traumatized by the shooting.  A Chicago law firm handled these cases, representing plaintiffs belonging to the Chicago area and also a wounded Californian man.

According to the police and the FBI, Paddock shot from a room in the 32nd-floor of the Mandalay Bay into a crowd of around 22,000 people attending a concert at the concert venue opposite the hotel for over 10 minutes.  He is reported to have killed himself before police officers reached his room. No motive has yet been identified for his deadly rampage .

MGM Officials “Failed To Follow Hotel Policies”, Lawyers Allege

Typically plaintiffs of mass-shooting lawsuits face a high legal bar as they are required to prove the liability of someone other than the shooter. Furthermore the lawsuits often drag for years.

Pinkerton however believes that he can show that that tragedy could have been averted if the hotel and corporate officials had followed the hotel polices in place regarding weapon possession and implemented safety recommendations passed recently. .

He called the incident “the largest venue security failure in U.S. history.”

 

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