Opinion ID: 2074721
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: trial of the wrongful death claim

Text: Millman's petition on which the case was tried contained the allegation that a claim had been filed with Butler County in compliance with the Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act. However, in its pleadings, Butler County failed to affirmatively raise the issue of noncompliance with the notice requirement prescribed in § 13-905 of the Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act. Therefore, Butler County waived any question concerning the notice requirement of the Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act in relation to Millman's action against the county. Additionally, as we have discussed above, § 13-919(1), which bars a suit against a political subdivision in the absence of a claim filed within 1 year after accrual of the negligence cause of action, is a statute of limitations. In its answer the county affirmatively alleged Millman's cause of action is barred by the statute of limitations. By pleading the statute of limitations as an affirmative defense, Butler County took upon itself the burden to prove that the Duncan claim was not filed within 1 year after Duncan's death. Yet, there is no evidence that the Duncan claim was not timely filed with the county. In that posture, the statute of limitations contained in § 13-919(1) was not an issue submissible to the court as the fact finder in the negligence action against Butler County. Consequently, the district court could not have properly concluded that absence of a timely filed claim barred prosecution of the action against Butler County for the wrongful death of Christopher T. Duncan.