Opinion ID: 853538
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Tort Claims Framework

Text: The Indiana Tort Claims Act provides in relevant part, The combined aggregate liability of all governmental entities and of all public employees, acting within the scope of their employment ... does not exceed three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) for injury to or death of one (1) person. Ind.Code Ann. § 34-4-16.5-4 (West 1983). [1] Indiana Code § 34-4-16.5-2(c) [2] defines a governmental entity as the state or a political subdivision of the state. The Indiana Tort Claims Act says that community action agencies [3] shall be treated as political subdivisions. Ind.Code Ann. § 34-4-16.5-20 (West Supp.1994). [4] While the status of LCEOC under the Indiana Tort Claims Act is at issue in the companion case of Greer, the parties to this case stipulate that LCEOC is entitled to political subdivision status under the Indiana Tort Claims Act. (R. at 95.) The only remaining issue is, therefore, whether GHCS is a political subdivision. See Appellant's Pet. for Trans. to the Supreme Court at 2. We approach such questions with the recognition that the Indiana Tort Claims Act is in derogation of the common law and must therefore be strictly construed against limitations on the claimant's right to bring suit. See, e.g., Hinshaw v. Board of Comm'rs of Jay County, 611 N.E.2d 637, 639 (Ind.1993); Indiana State Highway Comm'n v. Morris, 528 N.E.2d 468, 473 (Ind.1988).