Arizona Family Brings $55M Claim Against Flagstaff Unified School District for Preventable Tick-Borne Illness at Camp Colton

Phoenix-based law firm Plattner Verderame, P.C. served the Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) with a $55 million Notice of Claim on behalf of a former student who contracted Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever (TBRF) after staying at Camp Colton, an outdoor education facility run by the district.

Phoenix, AZ, Aug. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Phoenix-based law firm Plattner Verderame, P.C. served the Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) with a $55 million Notice of Claim on behalf of a former student who contracted Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever (TBRF) after staying at Camp Colton, an outdoor education facility run by the district.

The Claim alleges gross negligence and states that Camp Colton neglected to follow the pest control protocols recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health authorities. FUSD board members were formally served with the Notice during a meeting on August 26, 2025.

Allegations against FUSD

Camp Colton is used for outdoor education trips for the district’s sixth-grade classes. The Notice states that the Claimant attended the camp with her class in May 2019 as part of her FUSD school programming. During that trip, she was exposed to “soft ticks” and developed Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever, a condition resulting from the bacterium Borrelia hermsii.

In 2014, a TBRF outbreak occurred at the same facility because of ticks that lived in rodent nests within the cabins. Following that outbreak, the CDC, Coconino County Public Health Services, and the Arizona Department of Health Services conducted investigations at the campsite. They advised FUSD to implement ectoparasite (tick) control measures after rodent removal. The Claim alleges that the district failed to follow that advice in 2019 and did not take steps to prevent future illnesses through proper pest control, or to warn families of the related risks.

The impact of TBRF

The Claim states that the Claimant experiences severe symptoms related to the development of TBRF, including chronic neurological, autoimmune, and inflammatory disorders. According to the Claim, she suffers from trigeminal neuralgia, autoimmune encephalitis, functional neurological disorder, chronic pain syndrome and ongoing episodes of aphasia, collapse, and seizure-like disorientation.

Her symptoms require ongoing and extensive medical treatment from multiple specialists and long-term therapies. Because of the development of the permanent and disabling condition, the Claim states that the young student lost out on opportunities to compete as a gymnast. According to the Claim, before her illness, the student was a nationally ranked Level 7 competitive gymnast with Olympic aspirations and recruitment potential from universities such as UCLA. The illness ended her gymnastics career and her prior athletic and educational goals. Now, she is a part-time community college student and continues to face struggles with basic daily functioning.

The settlement demand

Plattner Verderame, P.C.'s formal Notice of Claim is seeking $55 million in damages for the victim and her family.

The Claim requests compensation for:

Medical expenses (past and future)
Pain and suffering
Loss of future earning capacity
Loss of consortium

If the FUSD fails to respond within 60 days, Plattner Verderame stated it reserves the right to proceed with a civil lawsuit on behalf of the Claimant.

The firm says that other children might be affected

It’s possible that other children might be affected by similar exposures to TBRF at Camp Colton without knowing the source of their illness. Any families whose children experienced unexplained illness following a stay at Camp Colton — particularly between 2014 and 2019 — can contact the firm to discuss their rights and potential ability to take action.

“This was a completely preventable tragedy,” said attorney Richard S. Plattner, “FUSD received clear warnings, and yet they repeated the same mistakes, exposing more children to a devastating disease.”

About Plattner Verderame, P.C.

Plattner Verderame, P.C. is a Phoenix-based trial law firm that represents seriously injured individuals and families in complex, high-impact litigation, including cases against powerful institutions. To learn more about the firm or to contact Plattner Verderame, P.C. for more information about this case, visit https://www.plattner-verderame.com.

Name: Richard S. Plattner
Email: rplattner@pvazlaw.com
Job Title: Partner

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