Family of man struck by tree at Palm Springs golf course files lawsuit
The estate of a man who died about a week after being struck by a falling tree at a Palm Springs golf resort is suing the course’s owners, as well as the city of Palm Springs.
David Hamaker, 71, of Black Butte Ranch, Oregon, was struck by a tree while sitting in a golf cart near the 17th hole of the Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort on March 30, 2017.
According to the wrongful death lawsuit filed Friday against the resort, its owners and the city, Hamaker “suffered a severe cervical spine fracture dislocation,” among other injuries, and was hospitalized at Desert Regional Medical Center. He underwent surgery for his injury, but died on April 7 from “sequelae of blunt impact injury of neck,” according to his death certificate.
The suit, which seeks unspecified damages, alleges that course owners did not properly maintain trees to prevent them from falling and accuses the defendants of negligence, which “was a substantial factor in causing the death of David Hamaker.” Windy conditions likely played a role in felling the tree, but the suit alleges that course owners should have taken such conditions into account and adequately warned golfers or closed the course altogether.
Representatives from Tahquitz Creek could not immediately be reached for comment.
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