Tough decisions ahead for Las Vegas shooting victims fund panel
Kenneth Feinberg, a victim-compensation expert who is volunteering to help the Las Vegas shooting, has helped distribute donations to the injured and the families of the fallen after several tragedies, including last year after the shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The shooting left 49 people dead and 68 injured. Feinberg helped to distribute $29.5 million to 229 people.
Feinberg also helped to distribute funds in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013. More than $60 million was raised for the four who died and 200 injured.
Move up this quote: Feinberg said “no matter how much money you have it’s not going to be enough. You can only do what you can do with the money that’s available.”
The local committee forming in Clark County to oversee the distribution of raised funds to help victims of the Oct. 1 shooting and their families will have some tough decisions to make.
Kenneth Feinberg, a victim-compensation expert who is volunteering to help Clark County along in the process, said the committee will have to decide key questions such as:
— Are nonphysical injuries, such as psychological injury, eligible?
— How do you ensure that the distribution of funds is equitable?
— What are the steps to distribute the money if family members disagree on who should get the money?
— When will people receive money?
Currently there is more than $15 million raised on behalf of victims and their families and/or people impacted in the shooting, but it is not yet clear what share of funds will go directly to victims and what share will go toward bolstering community initiatives to help in the aftermath of the shooting.
The majority of funds is currently held in a GoFundMe account created by Sisolak and Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo on Oct. 2. The platform reached more than $10.7 million Thursday.
Feinberg said “no matter how much money you have it’s not going to be enough. You can only do what you can do with the money that’s available.”
The Oct. 1 shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival left 58 victims dead and 489 injured.
“There’s a finite amount of money and there are so many people killed and injured that it becomes very problematic,” Feinberg said. “You can’t give everybody $1.50, you better start thinking about how you want to allocate the funds.”
Feinberg said victims and families of the Las Vegas shooting can expect to receive money within three to six months, assuming that a local committee is formed soon. Victims and families can expect to have to apply to receive the money.
Contact Nicole Raz at nraz@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4512. Follow @JournalistNikki on Twitter.
