What Should I Do If I Was Injured at the Denver Zoo?
The Denver Zoo attracts nearly two million visitors a year. With that many visitors, it would hardly be surprising if people didn’t get injured there from time to time. In fact, they do, and at some point, you might get injured at the Denver Zoo. Here’s how to handle the legal issues arising from your injuries.
What to Do at the Scene of the Accident
You should take the following steps at the scene of the accident:
- Call 911 if there is any chance your injuries are serious enough to require hospitalization.
- Get the contact details of any witnesses, especially if they are guests.
- Notify park staff. They should be able to perform first aid on-site and prepare an accident report.
- Photograph anything relevant – the scene of the accident, any obstacles that might have contributed to the accident, your injuries, etc.
If you are seriously injured, ask someone else to take these steps for you.
Talk to a Lawyer
A personal injury lawyer can help you determine what type of claim you should file. Possible claims might include:
- Premises Liability: The zoo has a responsibility to keep its premises safe for guests.
- Negligent Security: This might apply if, say, you were the victim of a foreseeable crime on zoo property that adequate safety measures would have been able to prevent.
- Employee Negligence: The zoo is responsible for the negligence of employees who are acting within the scope of their employment.
- Product Liability: If a defective product at the zoo injured you, the manufacturer could be held liable for your damages.
All these types of claims and others are available to injured parties at the Denver Zoo.
Ownership Structure
The ownership structure of the Denver Zoo is important because it affects the procedures you need to comply with to file a lawsuit, as well as the amount of damages you can ask for. The Denver Zoo is a partnership between the City and County of Denver (a single entity) and the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance. The City and County of Denver is a branch of the state of Colorado, while the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance is a non-profit entity.
Special legal rules apply to filing lawsuits against government entities and nonprofit entities. Since these rules differ from each other, there are some basic requirements you have to follow.
Lawsuit Restrictions Based on the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act (CGIA)
Under the CGIA, if you want to sue a Colorado government entity such as the City of Denver, you must first file a written Notice of Claim with the defendant within 182 days of the accident. Your notice must include details about the accident, your injuries, and the amount of damages you are seeking.
Filing the Notice of Claim within 182 days does not relieve you from the requirements of the Colorado statute of limitations, which limits the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit. In most cases, the statute of limitations requires you to file a personal injury lawsuit within two years of the date of the accident.
Damages
Colorado allows you to claim up to three types of damages:
- Economic damages: medical bills, lost earnings, out-of-pocket expenses, and any expense that is calculable.
- Non-economic damages: emotional distress and pain and suffering. Non-economic damages are intangible losses that are difficult to calculate.
- Punitive damages: Punitive damages are an extra amount that courts impose to punish a defendant for particularly outrageous behavior, such as intentionally injuring you.
Non-economic damages typically amount to double, triple, or even five times the amount of economic damages. Punitive damages can amount to even more, but courts are very reluctant to award them.
Limitations on Damages Under the CGIA
The CGIA imposes limits on economic and non-economic damages. The reason Colorado limits these damages when you’re suing a government is that the money used to pay these damages comes out of the pockets of taxpayers.
Contact our Denver Personal Injury Law Firm Today For Help
A skilled legal team is ready to fight for you. They will fight for you to get fair compensation so you can recover from your injuries. Contact a personal injury lawyer today to schedule a risk-free, no-obligation consultation. Let them help you take the next step toward securing your compensation.
For more information please contact Zaner Harden Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free initial consultation with a Denver personal injury lawyer.
Zaner Harden Personal Injury Lawyers
1610 Wynkoop Street, Suite 120. Denver, CO 80202
(720) 613 9706
