Back in October 2017, a pet monkey owned by Wayne Newton attacked a girl who was touring his former. Texas residents may be interested to learn about the details of the resulting premises liability case. On Aug. 7, the mother of the girl filed a lawsuit with the Nevada State Court against Newton and the company that operates the museum and the tours.
The Casa de Shenandoah, the Las Vegas estate where the incident took place, is a 40-acre mansion once owned by Newton but sold off to investors back in 2010. It’s a museum and tourist attraction with features like gardens, exotic animals and a stable housing the performer’s horses.
The mother and daughter were invited on a tour, during which the pet monkey allegedly bit the girl without anyone provoking it. While the level of injuries was not released, the plaintiff is seeking at least $15,000 in compensation. Reports say the girl was 15 years old when the incident occurred.
In a statement to the media, Newton’s wife said her family should not be connected with the incident. By July 2017 (about three months before the attack), they had already cut off all ties with the company that manages the museum and tours.
Based on the concept of premises liability, property owners can potentially be held liable for any injuries incurred on their property. Of course, several requirements must be met. There must be proof of the owner’s negligence, the victim’s reasonable conduct while on the property and a link between the act of negligence and the injury. This is why having a lawyer may be a good idea. A victim could leave all negotiations to their attorney and proceed to litigation if these fall through.
