Nev. pays for deaths, dentures, fender benders and more
By Kyle Roerink, Las Vegas Sun
What do a lost pair of dentures, damaged windshields and disgruntled inmates have in common?
Lawsuits against the state.
Since 2013, the state paid $5.07 million to claimants alleging they were victims of wrongdoing brought on by the government.
The 379 tort claims are a mishmash of bizarre, grisly and mundane cases with a wide range of payouts: Four wrongful death claims that vary from $375,000 to $2,500. A civil rights violation that cost $920,000. A $976 fender bender caused by a state employee swerving to avoid a cat. An $80,000 payout for a state employee rear-ending a private citizen. A $750 liability for losing a mental health patient’s dentures.
Those are just a snapshot of the cases and liabilities. But the sum of payouts and number of cases are relatively small compared with other states.
Washington paid $48 million in claims in 2014. California paid out more than $123 million annually, according to a 2007 state report.