Talca Municipality ordered to pay $200 million for fatal accident

Chile's Supreme Court has upheld a ruling requiring the Municipality of Talca to pay 200 million pesos in compensation following the death of a 26-year-old man in October 2021. The victim was struck and killed by a 10-meter-long tree branch that fell while he was resting in the Parque Costanera.

The court rejected appeals from the municipality, confirming its civil liability due to a failure in service regarding the maintenance of public trees. The ruling establishes that deficient maintenance led to the branch detachment, dismissing arguments from the defense that the incident was an act of God or caused by the victim's own imprudence.

The compensation will be distributed among the victim's parents, siblings, and partner, concluding a legal process that lasted nearly five years.