LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The budget-busting Badlands settlement was a serious financial setback for the City of Las Vegas but it's far from the only hit taxpayers have to cover. Add in Clark County and the City of Henderson, we found taxpayers in local jurisdictions have paid out tens of millions of dollars.
From slip and fall injuries to civil rights violations, tort claims are costly.
WATCH: How much money is the City of Las Vegas, City of Henderson, and Clark County paying out to resolve civil lawsuits
City and county records from 2022 to 2024 show $25 million has been paid out to settle cases and claims over the past three years.
Attorney Joel Hengstler is a partner at THE702FIRM, which has represented many people suing Southern Nevada government entities.
"There's a saying that you can't fight city hall but you can," I said.
"Absolutely," Hengstler responded. "A lot of people are under this misconception that the government is always immune and you can't touch the government and that's absolutely not true. And in fact, personal injury cases, civil actions against the government, is one way, this great checks and balances system that our forefathers created, that we hold the government accountable just the same as you would voting."
I asked him if there were any cases that stand out for him.
"One ongoing case we have now is against the Nye County Sheriff's Office where they seem to have let a man go who was under the influence of some very powerful narcotics," Hengstler said. "He subsequently caused a fatal car crash to one victim, and to another victim, very serious brain injuries."
Tyler Kennedy is currently serving a long prison sentence for a head-on crash that killed three members of an Idaho family on arural Nevada highway.
Hengstler represents one of the surviving family members.
If he can prove law enforcement negligence in this civil case, taxpayers will end up footing the bill, as we always do to settle lawsuits against police agencies.
Of all the jurisdictions who provided records we requested, Metro paid out the most at $22.8 million in the last three years.
"When you're dealing with police, you're dealing with potentially far more serious injuries," Hengstler explained. "The Derek Chauvin matter really highlighted the fact that people's lives are on the line. But you're also dealing with freedoms and you're also talking about a group of individuals who are entrusted by the community for the safety and protection of each and every one of us and to do so with a sense of justice and righteousness as well."
In the court of our investigation into over 100 pages of documents, we also found a federal case filed against Metro just this week.
The parents of Vem Miller are suing the department and five officers, claiming police used a welfare check as a ruse to try to illegally enter their home. The lawsuit says the elderly couple was "held hostage in their own home, unable to leave, and petrified from fear as LVMPD officers stood outside their home" to look for their son.
As Channel 13 reported in October 2024, Miller was accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump after Miller brought guns in his car to a Trump rally in Riverside County, California.
WATCH: Vem Miller speaks to Channel 13 after being arrested at Trump rally
Now, Miller's parents are suing Metro for $25 million.
Most civil cases against government entities are settled out of court.
"I would say over 95% of cases reach a settlement," Hengstler said. "[But] if you try to balance any kind of settlement number against the pain that is suffered, the scales will never balance. And so, we can never go into court, necessarily, hoping to get an amount of money equal to what my clients suffered. It is always a balance of how much is being offered and what is the time, cost, and risk of going to trial."
Those settlements can be costly business. So how should taxpayers look at this?
"Yes. Those funds are ultimately paid by taxpayers but they are paid to enhance the protections and safety of the citizens against the government," Hengslter said. "What I would ask is what is the cost of not holding the government accountable?"
And if you ever find yourself in one of these situations, what can you do?
"Ask an attorney. The worst case scenario is you're going to talk to an attorney and the attorney will look at the facts in the case through the lens of I want to take this case and help this person and then decide if they have a legitimate claim or not," Hengslter said. "Even if we say no, the peace of mind they get by saying I've looked at my options, I've gotten advice from someone who knows, and now I can either put that matter to rest or move forward to a more aggressive strategy in litigation."
You can read the full list of claims and lawsuit payouts from the Clark County, the City of Las Vegas, and the City of Henderson below. We reached out to the City of North Las Vegas about their list of claims and payouts. We have not received them as of the time this article was published.
Clark County - 2022
Clark County - 2023
Clark County - 2024
City of Las Vegas - 2022
City of Las Vegas - 2023
City of Las Vegas - 2024
City of Henderson - 2022
City of Henderson - 2023
City of Henderson - 2024