Georgia residents may be aware that MGM Resorts, which owns and operates the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, was widely criticized in the wake of a mass shooting in October 2017 that claimed 58 lives and left 851 people injured. Hotel security measures were questioned when it was learned that the shooter checked in to the facility with at least 10 suitcases filled with weapons. He later opened fire on a busy crowd from the window of his 32nd-floor room.
MGM Resorts also faced a backlash when it sought relief from any liability connected to the shooting after a number of victims and victims’ families filed lawsuits against the company. This to-and-fro litigation leaves MGM attorneys facing the prospect of defending the company in a series of highly-publicized lawsuits that could damage the hotel group’s reputation even further. However, recent media reports suggest that the parties involved have agreed to seek a settlement through mediation to avoid a protracted legal battle.
A senior MGM Resorts executive made no mention of the company’s beleaguered image during an Oct. 28 interview. He instead talked about how mediation would spare the plaintiffs the emotional trauma of reliving the horror of the events again and again. In a press release, MGM Resorts said that it agreed to enter mediation despite remaining convinced that its arguments would prevail in court.
Corporations consider more than just the damages at stake when evaluating how to respond to liability lawsuits. That’s why they could seek a discrete and swift settlement even if they believe that the law is on their side. When preparing this type of litigation, personal injury attorneys may call on experts to determine whether or not the events in question were foreseeable and could have been prevented by more robust security measures.
