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| A lawsuit filed by two brothers injured in a tiger attack at the San Francisco zoo seeks damages for "serious physical and emotional injuries." |
Kulbir and Amritpal Dhaliwal, the two brothers injured in an attack by a tiger at the San Francisco Zoo last Christmas, filed claims last Friday against the city of San Francisco alleging negligence and defamation. The papers, a prerequisite to a lawsuit against the city, were submitted by the brothers’ attorney Mark Geragos. The claims seek damages for “serious physical and emotional injuries” but do not mention a specific dollar amount, KTVU News reports.
In the documents, Geragos and the brothers claim the city was negligent in not providing a safe zoo environment. The papers also allege that the city defamed the brothers by calling into question their role in possibly provoking the attack; another claim cites that the city improperly impounded Kulbir Dhaliwal’s car.
The suit stems from a tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo on Christmas Day 2007. The brothers were injured when a Siberian tiger on exhibit at the zoo escaped from its enclosure and attacked the pair and their friend, Carlos Sousa Jr., who was killed in the attack.
Kulbir Dhaliwal received deep cuts and bite wounds on his body, the filed papers said, also stating that Kulbir had surgery to repair damage to his knees. The papers also claim that a public relations consultant hired by the San Francisco Zoological Society defamed Kulbir, making him the target of “intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.”
The city must respond to the claims within 45 days of the date the papers were filed, issuing either a formal denial or a settlement offer.
Amritpal Dhaliwal also made headlines several hours after the lawsuit was filed when he was arrested for allegedly shoplifting at a Target store in San Leandro, Calif., according to KTVU News.