The lawsuit alleges gross negligence resulting in serious injuries that will have lasting effects on the couple and their children.
SAN ANTONIO — A family injured by a tree limb that fell at the San Antonio Zoo earlier this spring has filed a lawsuit seeking $1 million in damages.
Crystal and Librado Rodriguez, of Temple, are suing over injuries they and their two children suffered on March 15, according to a complaint filed on Tuesda against the San Antonio Zoological Society, which runs the zoo, and Alamo City Arbor Care, Inc., which maintains the facility’s trees.
The lawsuit alleges gross negligence resulting in serious injuries that will have lasting effects on the couple and their children, possibly for the rest of their lives.
“The Defendants knowingly allowed rotted, overweight, dangerous branches to sit above walkways with the knowledge that people would be under them without taking the steps necessary to eliminate this hazard or to warn the patrons of the hazard,” the lawsuit states. “The predicable and obvious consequences of this hazard occurred when these Plaintiffs walked under the tree and the branch broke above them, striking them and causing serious injuries.”
The suit alleges the branch that fell on the family weighed up to 2,000 pounds, and was hanging over a walkway. It also points to signs near the tree that said it was being preserved, alleging zoo officials knew the tree required special care.
It also places some blame on Alamo City Arbor Care, claiming that they inspected and maintained trees at the zoo.
“It is apparent from the condition of this tree and the limb that broke off that it was rotted and in a dangerous condition that had been developing for some time,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit also calls for a temporary restraining order to prevent the zoo and tree company from destroying any evidence. That includes surveillance footage and maintenance records, but a special emphasis was placed on the remains of the tree.
“As the pictures included herein show, the Defendants immediately after this incident occurred hired a company to remove all remnants of the branch and the tree itself,” the suit states. “They hauled this material off after sending it through a wood grinder. This crucial evidence has been destroyed even though the Defendant was aware of the seriousness of the incident, that multiple people were injured (including life threatening injuries) and that they stated publicly that they were going to do an investigation into the incident.”
The suit claims that all four members of the family suffered serious injuries, but the couple’s daughter was injured most severely. It points to “permanent bodily injuries to her wrists, arms, skull, orbital bones, lungs, back and other parts of her body.”
KENS 5 has reached out to both the zoo and Alamo City Arbor Care Inc. for comment. We are waiting to hear back.
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