Hamilton County has paid out almost $1.1 million of taxpayer funds since 2024 to individuals who introduced bodily damage, property harm and different lawsuits or claims in opposition to it, settlement information present.
By an open information request, the Chattanooga Instances Free Press obtained paperwork that present the county settled 106 instances for a complete of about $1,080,000 from January 2024 by means of August.
There have been 83 funds of about $312,000 for property harm claims, 20 funds of about $479,000 for bodily damage settlements, two funds of $149,000 to finish lawsuits and one cost of $140,000 to an worker who filed an equal employment alternative criticism, the report exhibits.
One particular person acquired the biggest settlement of $150,000 for bodily damage whereas one other settled for a pair hundred {dollars} for an car legal responsibility declare, the report exhibits.
In a single occasion, Kristin Cruse was paid a settlement of $46,500 in Could over a crash with a Hamilton County Parks and Recreation pickup truck.
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Cruse was rear-ended and sustained abrasions and contusions on her backbone and different areas, and the accidents required in depth medical care and remedy, in response to the criticism.
The settlement paid her medical payments and compensated her for lack of enjoyment of life, her lawyer Derek Nelson stated by telephone.
When Nelson takes on a shopper who has a difficulty with the county, the events see if they will resolve it inside a yr with out litigation, he stated. There’s a one-year statute of limitations on private damage instances. They file a lawsuit in Circuit Court docket, if not, he stated.
A choose typically will resolve the case at a bench trial until the county settles beforehand, Nelson stated.
“There are definitely some that do go to trial, and there are definitely some that settle beforehand,” he stated. “It is a combined bag.”
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Whereas the county has extra insurance coverage protection, it has by no means used it, Hamilton County Lawyer Janie Varnell stated by telephone. All the settlement funds have come from county funds.
The County Lawyer’s Workplace is allowed to settle a case as much as $25,000 at its personal discretion and any bigger quantities want approval from the County Fee, she stated.
In some settlements the county could also be admitting wrongdoing or legal responsibility, however in others it isn’t, Varnell stated.
There have been a number of instances within the report the general public possible already is aware of about, she stated, however many don’t garner consideration.
For instance, the county settled final yr with the household of Shandle Riley for $100,000, the report exhibits. Former Hamilton County Deputy Daniel Wilkey allegedly coerced Riley into being baptized throughout a February 2019 site visitors cease.
Riley’s kids walked away with $50,000, and their attorneys had been paid $50,000. The county supplied the settlement, which was its most legal responsibility payout based mostly on state regulation.
“Lots of these simply go unnoticed and unreported simply because they’re such smaller points, however you realize it occurs greater than I suppose folks notice,” Varnell stated.
Contact courts reporter Sofia Saric at [email protected] or 423-757-6476.
