Court Says Woman Mauled By Tiger Can't Sue Landowners

Corliss and Gerald Branch say their legal worries finally are over.

The Branches own a Bothell-area property where six years ago a woman suffered brain damage when she was mauled by a Bengal tiger while filming a commercial.

Although the couple had no involvement with the tiger, the commercial or an animal preserve operated by a tenant, they faced the prospect of a lawsuit.

The legal threat ended recently, however, when the state Supreme Court ruled landlords have no legal duty to protect tenants' guests from the tenants' animals.

"We're very glad it's over," Corliss Branch said. "It's been a lot of aggravation and worry."

In a unanimous decision handed down Sept. 30, the court overturned a year-old decision by the Court of Appeals, which ruled the injured woman, Clara Frobig of Bothell, could sue the landlords because it was not clear how much they knew about the tiger's potential for attack.

The appellate-court ruling had overturned a decision by Snohomish County Superior Court Judge James Allendoerfer, who ruled there was no evidence the Branches knew of the potential of an attack.

The Supreme Court's decision also upholds the state's tradition of exempting landlords from being liable for injuries inflicted by a tenant's animal, said Rick Lowell, the Branches' attorney.

Lowell said case precedent in some states can make landlords liable.

Corliss Branch said she and her husband never felt any guilt or responsibility over the incident, in which Frobig tripped, fell and was bitten six times by Sultan, a 500-pound tiger.

Frobig, who is in her mid-40s, was a part-time employee of the Branches who worked with horses at their ranch. She volunteered to help the owner of the animal preserve, Anne Gordon, as a handler of the tiger, although Frobig had no experience working with tigers.

Frobig settled out of court with The Boeing Co., for whom the commercial was being filmed. The amount was not disclosed.

Frobig was unable to file suit against Gordon, who filed for bankruptcy shortly after the attack.

Neither she nor her attorney returned phone calls.