Neb. Supreme Court reduces sledding accident award

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by AP

Story Created: Jul 20, 2012 at 3:37 PM CDT

Story Updated: Jul 20, 2012 at 3:37 PM CDT

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) _ The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld a ruling against the city of Omaha for a sledding accident that seriously injured two girls, but reduced the overall award their family will receive.

Justices ruled Friday that the city was mostly to blame for the December 2000 crash at an Omaha park.

Rachel Connelly was 5 and her sister, Chelsea, was 10 when they struck a crabapple tree planted by city workers. Chelsea suffered a punctured lung and broken rib. Rachel was paralyzed.

A Douglas County judge ordered the city to pay Rachel $1 million, and awarded her parents a combined $1.5 million. The high court ruled that the parents' award should have been treated as one joint claim instead of two. State law sets a $1 million cap for damage claims.

AP-WF-07-20-12 1505GMT

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