Munich v. Skagit Emergency Communications Center

¶1 This case involves the special relationship exception to the public duty doctrine. One of the elements necessary to satisfy the special relationship exception requires an express assurance by the defendant. The plaintiff in this case alleges a 911 operator negligently responded to an emergency call by coding (or prioritizing) it incorrectly, thereby causing a delayed response. The operator correctly informed the caller help was on the way, though the operator made no time estimate or reference to the call’s priority.

¶2 On summary judgment, the defendant argued express assurances must be…