News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
A Sisters woman who was hurt after she tripped over a log at the High Mountains Jazz at Sisters festival in September 1998, is suing the festival and the City of Sisters for nearly $3 million.
The lawsuit, filed in circuit court in Deschutes County, alleges that Dolores Pritchard was severely injured when she fell over a parking log divider in the dark outside the festival tent at the Village Green on September 19, 1998.
The suit claims the festival and the city were negligent in not providing sufficient light and failing to remove hazardous dividers, among other claims.
According to court papers, Pritchard suffered "central cord syndrome, resulting in permanent quadriplegia," surgery on a spinal disc, and facial lacerations.
According to festival board member Jim Fisher, "she apparently exited through the south exit of the tent at the Village Green, which was not a regular exit; it was a fire exit only."
Fisher said the suit could endanger future of the festival, which has noted declining ticket sales to new attendees. He said a committee is reviewing past festivals and will make a recommendation to the festival board of directors before the end of the year as to whether the festival should continue.
Fisher said the suit will be considered in the review.
"It's one more factor, because no matter what it will affect our insurance rate," Fisher said.
The suit claims past medical and home health care expenses of $104,783.01; future damages of $565,000; and "non-economic damages" including "permanent disability, physical pain and suffering" in the amount of $2.3 million.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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