NOTICE OF TORT CLAIM
A person who wants to assert a claim for personal injury or property damage (hereinafter “Claimant”) against the Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County (“the Corporation”) must submit the claim in writing within 180 days after the loss occurs as required by Indiana Code 34-13-3-8(a).
According to Indiana Code 34-13-3-10, the claim must include the following:
- Name of Claimant
- Claimant’s address at the time of loss: (number and street, city, state and zip code) and if current address is different, current address information
- Location, date and time of alleged loss
- Short and plain statement of the circumstances surrounding the loss and the extent of loss (such as, copies of estimates, bills, receipts, and photos shall be provided, if possible)
- Amount of damages being claimed
- The claim and all supporting documents must be delivered by registered or certified mail or in person to the following address:
Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County
Attn: Legal Department
3838 North Rural Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46205
- Please Note:
- Each person claiming a loss should file a separate claim.
- Please retain a copy of your claim and supporting documentation.
- If your claim is properly filed, the Corporation will investigate your claim.
- The Corporation has 90 days within receipt of a claim and supporting documentation to investigate the claim.
The filing of this claim is part of a legal process. If you have any questions about the proper way to file a claim, you may contact an attorney. Corporation employees are not authorized to assist you with filing this claim.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Tort Claims Process
Q: I provided notice of my tort claim, when can I expect to hear back?
A: As a general rule, you will receive a response, either denying your claim or offering a settlement, approximately 90 days from the date you filed, so long as all of the supporting documentation has also been filed. The Corporation will contact you as soon as possible if additional supporting documentation is needed to complete our review. By law, a claim is denied if you have not received any communication from the Corporation within the 90 days period.
Q: If I am offered compensation, when can I expect to receive it?
A: If the Corporation offers a settlement to you, and you accept it, you will receive settlement paperwork. Once the Corporation receives properly executed copies with original signatures (no copies or faxed signatures), it takes approximately 5-7 weeks from the date the Corporation receives your fully executed settlement paperwork before you receive a check.
For your information, a list of actions or conditions resulting in nonliability pursuant to Indiana Code 34-13-3-3 is provided below:
Immunity of governmental entity or employee
(a) A governmental entity or an employee acting within the scope of the employee’s employment is not liable if a loss results from the following:
(1) The natural condition of unimproved property.
(2) The condition of a reservoir, dam, canal, conduit, drain, or similar structure when used by a person for a purpose that is not foreseeable.
(3) The temporary condition of a public thoroughfare or extreme sport area that results from weather.
(4) The condition of an unpaved road, trail, or footpath, the purpose of which is to provide access to a recreation or scenic area.
(5) The design, construction, control, operation, or normal condition of an extreme sport area, if all entrances to the extreme sport area are marked with:
(A) a set of rules governing the use of the extreme sport area;
(B) a warning concerning the hazards and dangers associated with the use of the extreme sport area; and
(C) a statement that the extreme sport area may be used only by persons operating extreme sport equipment.
This subdivision shall not be construed to relieve a governmental entity from liability for the continuing duty to maintain extreme sports areas in a reasonably safe condition.
(6) The initiation of a judicial or an administrative proceeding.
(7) The performance of a discretionary function; however, the provision of medical or optical care as provided in IC 34-6-2-38 shall be considered as a ministerial act.
(8) The adoption and enforcement of or failure to adopt or enforce:
(A) a law (including rules and regulations); or
(B) in the case of a public school or charter school, a policy;
unless the act of enforcement constitutes false arrest or false imprisonment.
(9) An act or omission performed in good faith and without malice under the apparent authority of a statute which is invalid if the employee would not have been liable had the statute been valid.
(10) The act or omission of anyone other than the governmental entity or the governmental entity’s employee.
(11) The issuance, denial, suspension, or revocation of, or failure or refusal to issue, deny, suspend, or revoke any permit, license, certificate, approval, order, or similar authorization, where the authority is discretionary under the law.
(12) Failure to make an inspection, or making an inadequate or negligent inspection, of any property, other than the property of a governmental entity, to determine whether the property complied with or violates any law or contains a hazard to health or safety.
(13) Entry upon any property where the entry is expressly or impliedly authorized by law.
(14) Misrepresentation if unintentional.
(15) Theft by another person of money in the employee’s official custody, unless the loss was sustained because of the employee’s own negligent or wrongful act or omission.
(16) Injury to the property of a person under the jurisdiction and control of the department of correction if the person has not exhausted the administrative remedies and procedures provided by section 7 of this chapter.
(17) Injury to the person or property of a person under supervision of a governmental entity and who is:
(A) on probation;
(B) assigned to an alcohol and drug services program under IC 12-23, a minimum security release program under IC 11-10-8, a pretrial conditional release program under IC 35-33-8, or a community corrections program under IC 11-12; or
(C) subject to a court order requiring the person to be escorted by a county police officer while on or in a government building (as defined in IC 36-9-13-3) owned by a county building authority under IC 36-9-13, unless the injury is the result of an act or omission amounting to:
(i) gross negligence;
(ii) willful or wanton misconduct; or
(iii) intentional misconduct.
(18) Design of a highway (as defined in IC 9-13-2-73), toll road project (as defined in IC 8-15-2-4(4)), tollway (as defined in IC 8-15-3-7), or project (as defined in IC 8-15.7-2-14) if the claimed loss occurs at least twenty (20) years after the public highway, toll road project, tollway, or project was designed or substantially redesigned; except that this subdivision shall not be construed to relieve a responsible governmental entity from the continuing duty to provide and maintain public highways in a reasonably safe condition.
(19) Development, adoption, implementation, operation, maintenance, or use of an enhanced emergency communication system.
(20) Injury to a student or a student’s property by an employee of a school corporation if the employee is acting reasonably under a:
(A) discipline policy adopted under IC 20-33-8-12; or
(B) restraint and seclusion plan adopted under IC 20-20-40-14.
(21) An act or omission performed in good faith under the apparent authority of a court order described in IC 35-46-1-15.1 or IC 35-46-1-15.3 that is invalid, including an arrest or imprisonment related to the enforcement of the court order, if the governmental entity or employee would not have been liable had the court order been valid.
(22) An act taken to investigate or remediate hazardous substances, petroleum, or other pollutants associated with a brownfield (as defined in IC 13-11-2-19.3) unless:
(A) the loss is a result of reckless conduct; or
(B) the governmental entity was responsible for the initial placement of the hazardous substances, petroleum, or other pollutants on the brownfield.
(23) The operation of an off-road vehicle (as defined in IC 14-8-2-185) by a nongovernmental employee, or by a governmental employee not acting within the scope of the employment of the employee, on a public highway in a county road system outside the corporate limits of a city or town, unless the loss is the result of an act or omission amounting to:
(A) gross negligence;
(B) willful or wanton misconduct; or
(C) intentional misconduct.
This subdivision shall not be construed to relieve a governmental entity from liability for the continuing duty to maintain highways in a reasonably safe condition for the operation of motor vehicles licensed by the bureau of motor vehicles for operation on public highways.
(24) Any act or omission rendered in connection with a request, investigation, assessment, or opinion provided under IC 36-9-28.7.
(b) This subsection applies to a cause of action that accrues during a period of a state disaster emergency declared under IC 10-14-3-12 to respond to COVID-19, if the state of disaster emergency was declared after February 29, 2020, and before April 1, 2022. A governmental entity or an employee acting within the scope of the employee’s employment is not liable for an act or omission arising from COVID-19 unless the act or omission constitutes gross negligence, willful or wanton misconduct, or intentional misrepresentation. If a claim described in this subsection is:
(1) a claim for injury or death resulting from medical malpractice; and
(2) not barred by the immunity provided under this subsection;
the claimant is required to comply with all of the provisions of IC 34-18 (medical malpractice act).
