SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 13, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- TASER International, Inc. (Nasdaq:TASR), a market leader in advanced electronic control devices, announced the dismissal with prejudice of the wrongful death product liability lawsuits filed against TASER International in the following cases: Fernandez v. TASER International, Inc., et al. filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California; LeBlanc v. TASER International, Inc., et al. filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California; and Moreno, et al. v. TASER International, Inc., et al. filed in the Superior Court of the State of California, Los Angeles County, Central District.
"We are very pleased that the plaintiffs decided not to pursue these lawsuits against TASER International and agreed to voluntarily dismiss TASER International with prejudice," said Doug Klint, Vice President and General Counsel of TASER International. "We believe the primary reason for these voluntary dismissals is the lack of any credible evidence that the TASER device played any causal role in these unfortunate deaths as well as the overwhelming medical and scientific evidence confirming the general safety of TASER technology. We are encouraged that as our rate of litigation dismissals continues to increase, the rate of litigation served on TASER International continues to decrease. We believe that this is due to our policy of not settling suspect injury or death cases and our aggressive defence of litigation filed against TASER International.
"I would like to add a special note of thanks for the tremendous efforts by the law firm of Manning & Marder, Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez LLP which represented TASER International in these three important cases. The work and effort by their attorneys and in particular, Tim Kral, was exceptional," concluded Klint.
These dismissals represent the sixty fourth (64th), sixty fifth (65th) and sixty sixth (66th) wrongful death or injury lawsuits that have been dismissed or judgment entered in favor of TASER International. No moneys were paid for these dismissals. This number includes a small number of law enforcement officer training injury lawsuits that were settled and dismissed in cases where the settlement economics to TASER International were significantly less than the cost of litigation. TASER International has not lost any product liability lawsuit.
About TASER International, Inc.
TASER International's products protect life. TASER provides advanced Electronic Control Devices (ECDs) for use in the law enforcement, medical, military, corrections, professional security, and personal protection markets. TASER devices use proprietary technology to incapacitate dangerous, combative, or high-risk subjects who pose a risk to law enforcement officers, innocent citizens, or themselves in a manner that is generally recognized as a safer alternative to other uses of force. For more information please call TASER International at (800) 978-2737 or visit our website at www.TASER.com.
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Note to Investors
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), including statements, without limitation, regarding our expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. We intend that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking information is based upon current information and expectations regarding TASER International. These estimates and statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, are not guarantees of future performance, and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results could materially differ from what is expressed, implied, or forecasted in such forward-looking statements.
TASER International assumes no obligation to update the information contained in this press release. These statements are qualified by important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those reflected by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include but are not limited to: (1) market acceptance of our products; (2) our ability to establish and expand direct and indirect distribution channels; (3) our ability to attract and retain the endorsement of key opinion-leaders in the law enforcement community; (4) the level of product technology and price competition for our products; (5) the degree and rate of growth of the markets in which we compete and the accompanying demand for our products; (6) risks associated with rapid technological change and new product introductions; (7) competition; (8) litigation including lawsuits resulting from alleged product related injuries and death; (9) media publicity concerning allegations of deaths and injuries occurring after use of the TASER device and the negative effect this publicity could have on our sales; (10) TASER device tests and reports; (11) product quality; (12) implementation of manufacturing automation; (13) potential fluctuations in our quarterly operating results; (14) financial and budgetary constraints of prospects and customers; (15) order delays; (16) dependence upon sole and limited source suppliers; (17) negative reports concerning the TASER device; (18) fluctuations in component pricing; (19) government regulations and inquiries; (20) dependence upon key employees and our ability to retain employees; (21) execution and implementation risks of new technology; (22) ramping manufacturing production to meet demand; (23) medical and safety studies; (24) field test results; and (25) other factors detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, those factors detailed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Form 10-Qs.
The statements made herein are independent statements of TASER International. The inclusion of any third parties does not represent an endorsement of any TASER International products or services by any such third parties.