Brookfield Zoo Not Protected from Lawsuits Like Lincoln Park Zoo, Court Rules

A slip-and-fall lawsuit against the Brookfield Zoo does not have to be filed within one year of the incident, according to a Thursday decision by the Illinois Supreme Court.

The high court ruled the zoo does not meet the requirements to be protected as a public entity under the Illinois Tort Immunity statute, according to the Cook County Record.

The opinion cited the Chicago Zoological Society’s control and management of the zoo, and the fact that zoo employees work for the society, as reasons it would not be protected as a public entity. Also, most of the Brookfield Zoo’s yearly revenue comes from private sources, the record reports.

By comparison, the Lincoln Park Zoo is protected as a public entity because it is owned and controlled by the Chicago Park District.

Read more on this story from the Cook County Record.