Just days after the second anniversary of the deadliest shooting in U.S. history, lawyers representing the victims’ families announced on Thursday that they have reached a settlement of between $735 million and $800 million with MGM Resorts.
The settlement amount depends on the number of claimants, according to Las Vegas law firm Eglet Adams, which represents nearly 2,500 victims, ABC reported. MGM has about $751 million in insurance coverage that can be used to help cover the costs, according to CNN.
While MGM said the settlement is not an admission of any wrongdoing, the lead plaintiffs’ counsel, Robert Eglet, said the settlement “represents good corporate citizenship” by MGM Resorts.
MGM owns the Mandalay Bay resort where the 64-year old shooter, Stephen Paddock, was alleged to have fired from the 32nd floor, killing 58 and wounding 869 more on the night of October 1, 2017.
Paddock apparently killed himself before police could stop him.
Though the Islamic State terrorist group claimed Paddock as one of their own, he did not have a suicide note or manifesto and authorities have dismissed those claims and in 2018 authorities concluded he acted alone.
His motivation is still unknown.
“Today’s agreement marks a milestone in the recovery process for the victims of the horrifying events of 1 October,” Eglet said. “While nothing will be able to bring back the lives lost or undo the horrors so many suffered on that day, this settlement will provide fair compensation for thousands of victims and their families.”
“MGM Resorts is a valued member of the Las Vegas community and this settlement represents good corporate citizenship on their part. We believe that the terms of this settlement represent the best outcome for our clients and will provide the greatest good for those impacted by these events,” Eglet said.
After hundreds filed a lawsuit against the owner of the Mandalay Bay Resort, MGM filed made the widely criticized move to file a countersuit against the victims in an apparent legal maneuver to have the cases consolidated and avoid liability.
“Our goal has always been to resolve these matters so our community and the victims and their families can move forward in the healing process,” Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts Jim Murren said of the new settlement. “This agreement with the Plaintiffs’ Counsel is a major step, and one that we hoped for a long time would be possible.
“We have always believed that prolonged litigation around these matters is in no one’s best interest. It is our sincere hope that this agreement means that scenario will be avoided,” Murren added.
In July, the Las Vegas Police Department released a 158-page report that shares the lessons the department learned from the 2017 mass shooting. The Associated Press reported 93 recommendations from the report regarding how to prevent a similar shooting event from happening.
Some of the suggestions are requirements to plan ahead with neighboring police, fire, hospital and coroner officials. Additionally, other suggestions included letting police officers remove reflective vests so they’re less of a target to a shooter and to ensure more paramedics and trauma kits are available for large-scale events.
