Widow sues Las Vegas chiropractor again over 2005 shoving death
After nearly 14 years of legal battles, a widow filed a third lawsuit Wednesday against the Las Vegas chiropractor who shoved her husband to his death.
Lawrence Weiss, 60, died from a head injury in 2005 after chiropractor Stephen Shaw shoved him during a road-rage-fueled altercation at a west Las Vegas car wash.
Shaw pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to five years’ probation, but Weiss’ widow, Sheri, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against him and in 2009 was awarded just under $2.5 million in damages.
According to the latest suit, Shaw is no longer in a position to have his wages garnished, so Sheri Weiss is asking that the courts appoint a receiver to oversee his income and ensure that he pays what he owes. She also is seeking an injunction to prevent Shaw from transferring or concealing his assets.
Shaw said on Thursday that he had not been served papers yet and had not retained an attorney.
“I’ve tried several times to work things out with them, but they want to keep throwing lawsuits at us,” he said.
Two years after the first judgment, Sheri Weiss filed a second suit against Shaw alleging that he, his wife and another chiropractor conspired to conceal Shaw’s income to prevent his wages from being garnished.
She alleged that Shaw, after transferring his practice’s equipment to another clinic opening at the same location, was hired on by that clinic with a $100,000 salary.
The clinic, however, reported that Shaw’s salary was only $30,000 when Sheri Weiss tried to have his wages garnished. At the same time, the clinic was paying his wife $6,000 a month to perform administrative functions that once had been Shaw’s responsibility, though she had no experience or college degree.
Jurors ruled in Sheri Weiss’ favor and leveled another $200,000 judgment against him, along with a $6,000 judgment against his wife and $72,000 against the other chiropractor for their roles in the scheme.
In 2013 Shaw’s attorney, Charles Rainey, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that his client was forced to close his practice because his reputation was “destroyed.” He said Shaw lost his motivation to work because he felt he would never be able to pay off the large debt.
Now, Shaw is operating his own practice again at the same location and therefore has no wages to garnish. According to the suit, Sheri Weiss and her attorney believe Shaw is receiving money from clients and from their medical liens.
A receiver would keep track of Shaw’s accounts receivable and his patients’ medical liens to ensure that he continues to pay the judgments. As of Thursday, it was unclear how much Shaw had paid.
Neither Sheri Weiss nor her attorney, David Mincin, could be reached for comment.
“It’s a terrible tragedy, and we’re trying to just move forward,” Shaw said Thursday. “It’s just day-to-day.”
Contact Max Michor at mmichor@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0365. Follow @MaxMichor on Twitter.
Timeline of events
March 11, 2005 — Chiropractor Stephen Shaw shoves Lawrence Weiss during a road rage altercation. Weiss later dies from a head injury.
November 2005 — Weiss' widow, Sheri, files a wrongful death suit against Shaw.
May 2007 — Shaw is sentenced to five years' probation after pleading guilty to manslaughter.
February 2009 — A jury awards Weiss' widow nearly $2.5 million in punitive damages.
September 2009 — Shaw files for bankruptcy, but a court determines that he cannot discharge the $2.5 million judgment.
September 2011 — Sheri Weiss files an action alleging that Shaw and his wife worked to conceal Shaw's income to avoid paying the judgment.
November 2013 — A jury rules in Sheri Weiss' favor, and another $200,000 judgment is leveled against Shaw.
February 2017 — Shaw sells his practice to another man but continues working at the location. His wages are garnished.
March 2019 — Shaw takes over the clinic and opens his own practice, and therefore no longer has wages to garnish.
September 2019 — Sheri Weiss files another suit against Shaw, asking that the court appoint a receiver to oversee his accounts receivable and medical liens.
