Settlement talks fail ahead of trial pitting Tyler Skaggs' family against the Angels

"At its core, a civil suit is about money. Nobody pleads guilty. Nobody goes to prison. Somebody either pays somebody else or doesn't. That's why roughly 95% of civil suits nationwide reach a settlement ahead of or during trial, legal experts say. Pretrial discovery is usually comprehensive and mediation can produce agreements. Trials are costly, and plaintiffs and defendants alike overwhelmingly prefer to eliminate the risk of an all-or-nothing jury verdict by agreeing on a compromise dollar figure."

"Skaggs was found dead in his hotel room in Southlake, Texas, on July 1, 2019, before the Angels were scheduled to start a series against the Texas Rangers. The Tarrant County medical examiner conducted an autopsy and found that in addition to the opioids, Skaggs had a blood-alcohol level of 0.12. The autopsy determined he died from asphyxia after aspirating his own vomit, and that his death was accidental."

"Former Angels communications director Eric Kay was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison Tuesday after being convicted of providing the counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl that led to the Skaggs' overdose. Prosecutors alleged Kay sold opioids to Skaggs and at least five other professional baseball players from 2017 to 2019. Several players testified during the trial about obtaining illicit oxycodone pills from Kay."

Civil suits primarily seek monetary relief, and roughly 95% of civil suits nationwide reach settlement before or during trial. Pretrial discovery and mediation commonly lead to agreements because trials are costly and parties prefer avoiding an all-or-nothing jury verdict. The Skaggs case did not settle after a one-day settlement conference, and both sides prepared for trial in Orange County Superior Court. Tyler Skaggs was found dead July 1, 2019, with opioids and a 0.12 blood-alcohol level; the autopsy ruled accidental asphyxia after aspirating vomit. Former Angels communications director Eric Kay was convicted and sentenced for providing fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone; prosecutors said Kay sold opioids to Skaggs and other players, and several players testified about obtaining pills from Kay. The Skaggs family filed suit in June 2021 alleging the Angels knew or should have known about Kay's drug activity, and testimony established Kay's longtime oxycodone use.

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