Kabateck LLP managing partner Shant Karnikian provided analysis to NTD on the wrongful death civil trial involving the Los Angeles Angels and the family of late pitcher Tyler Skaggs.
Jury selection began this week in the case stemming from Skaggs’ 2019 opioid overdose death. The family filed the 2021 lawsuit against the Angels, alleging wrongful death, negligence, and gross negligence in failing to stop former communications director Eric Kay, who supplied Skaggs with the fatal drug containing fentanyl. Kay was later convicted and sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for drug distribution.
The Skaggs family is seeking $210 million in damages from the team. While the Angels maintain they were unaware of Skaggs’ opioid use and deny any employee provided drugs to players, Karnikian outlined the central legal issue in the case.
“That’s something that the Angels have going in their favor that this was a tragic problem and it was Tyler’s problem but that still doesn’t excuse enabling it,” Karnikian told NTD.
Karnikian explained that while Kay’s criminal culpability is established through his conviction, the remaining question is proving corporate responsibility on behalf of the MLB team.
“What surprises me is the lengths that the Angels are willing to go to keep litigating this and fight the family,” added Karnikian. “It’s not the easiest thing to prove, but it’s not a very, very high bar either to prove that they knew or should have known.”