Dial 999 and get sued

Gatling

Taken from sky news ,claim culture really loses the plot.

A man who dialled 999 fearing a burglary at his petrol station is being sued by the policewoman who answered the call because she fell on the premises.

The officer, Kelly Jones, tripped over a kerbstone when she went to the station in Thetford, Norfolk, owned by Steve Jones last August.

Her lawyers say she was hurt and argue that he failed to keep her safe while she was investigating the possible break-in.

Mr Jones says the move raises bigger questions about Britain's culture of compensation.

"I think it's the compensation culture gone a little too far, this is one step too far. Something needs to be done.

"I feel we need a minister of the common sense in this country," he told Sky News.

Mr Jones said he felt "astounded, worried, slightly anxious" upon receiving notification of the lawsuit last week.

"It's implying that I virtually should have done her job for her, it's implying I didn't keep her safe on my premises," Mr Jones said.

"We really need the police to be on our side right now," he added, citing what he says is an increased numbers of shoplifters or people who drive off without paying after filling up the tank.


The kerb at the Norfolk petrol station where the incident occurred
Ms Jones could not immediately be reached.

But Norfolk Police said in a statement that they had been "wholly unaware of this litigation which appears to be instigated privately by the individual officer".

The statement added: "We have a duty of care to any officer injured whilst on duty, to support their continued health and well-being and fitness to return to work. Officers can, in addition, receive further support from their staff association, as well as pursuing private treatment."

Mr Jones was called out late at night in August 25 after an alarm went off at the petrol station. Fearing a burglary, he called the police for backup.

"We were walking around to see if there had been any signs of entry in the premises and she tripped over the kerb," Mr Jones recalled.

"She got up and we carried on," he said, adding that the officer did not mention anything at the time and that she seemed to be "more embarrassed than hurt".

There was no burglary so Mr Jones said he didn't think about the incident until receiving the letter months later.

The lawsuit said the policewoman had suffered wrist and leg injuries.


Mr Jones received the letter months after the incident
Her lawyers say the area was not properly lit. Mr Jones counters that some lights were on and some more light was coming from a back street.

If successful, the claim could put people off calling emergency services. But Mr Jones said this was an isolated incident.

"On the whole the police do a great job."

The Police Federation said in a statement that "the Constables Central Committee is funding this particular case and the decision making for this lies with them."

It said most officers have public protection rather than any potential risk to themselves as their top priority.

It added: “On occasion private prosecutions and civil claims are made by police officers - and they must be treated each on their own merits.

"However, we share the public view that policing is a job that carries with it a reasonable amount of risk, at times much higher than that."

kaimera

twat.

the officer I mean...

El Guapo!

So he called the police to help keep him safe and ends up getting sued for not keeping the police safe??

Dafuq?

Skid X

Gatling wrote: »

The officer, Kelly Jones, tripped over a kerbstone when she went to the station in Thetford, Norfolk, owned by Steve Jones last August.

Alan Partridge will be all over this tomorrow on Mid Morning Matters.

Amirani

Laughable really.

helimachoptor

Early April fools?

mikemac1

Every farmer has a torch

Why don't the Norfolk police

MonkstownHoop

probably related

Sunnyisland

If this is a sucessfull claim by the policewoman there will be a lot more police out walking the beat :-)

Gatling

From blue flu to blue sue

Ruu

Any comments from the kerb on this matter?

shopaholic01

El Guapo! wrote: »

So he called the police to help keep him safe and ends up getting sued for not keeping the police safe??

Dafuq?

You shouldn't have changed your post!

It's hard to believe that they can sue as a result of a call out. It would make more sense for them to contribute to a fund to cover this.

Praetorian Saighdiuir

She fell over the kerb.

No one did an "American History X" on her!

shopaholic01

Ruubot2 wrote: »

Any comments from the kerb on this matter?

It's waiting on legal advice before commenting.

Fox_In_Socks

shopaholic01 wrote: »

It's waiting on legal advice before commenting.

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttttlooooooooooocccck!!!!

El Guapo!

shopaholic01 wrote: »

You shouldn't have changed your post!

It made no sense once I realised I read the OP wrong! Think I overdosed on Easter eggs and now my eyes no work good.

HondaSami

He should have proper lighting, if a customer fell they would make a claim. Is his issue just because it's a cop making the claim.
Thread title is a little misleading.

mikemac1

HondaSami wrote: »

He should have proper lighting, if a customer fell they would make a claim. Is his issue just because it's a cop making the claim.
Thread title is a little misleading.

There's is lighting right across the street

pic from Daily Mail

It's not like she wandering down some pitch dark country field

shopaholic01

El Guapo! wrote: »

It made no sense once I realised I read the OP wrong! Think I overdosed on Easter eggs and now my eyes no work good.

Ah it did (fo shizzle ), Ruubot2 made a similar comment!

amacca

She is clearly not fit for purpose as a police officer and should lose her job

If I'm being harassed by criminals etc i don't want my saviour clumsily tripping up over sh1t

thats not cool at all....in times gone by one would have been embarrassed to admit something like this never mind publicise it and use it as an excuse to claim of someone

Fox_In_Socks

amacca wrote: »

She is clearly not fit for purpose as a police officer and should lose her job

If I'm being harassed by criminals etc i don't want my saviour clumsily tripping up over sh1t

thats not cool at all....in times gone by one would have been embarrassed to admit something like this never mind publicise it and use it as an excuse to claim of someone

Your post is causing me mental distress.

HondaSami

mikemac1 wrote: »

There's is lighting right across the street

pic from Daily Mail

It's not like she wandering down some pitch dark country field

How dark was it? it could happen to anyone, he should not be relying on lights across the street.
Bear in mind he works there so is familiar with the surroundings, she is not.

cuana

There is properly more to this story! If she hurt herself as a result of his negligence well then too right the fact that she is a police officer has no bearing on this it could have been anyone of his customers

amacca

Fox_In_Socks wrote: »

Your post is causing me mental distress.

why?

(I'm sorry by the way - I hate causing mental distress , grammar, punctuation, clumsily written, the opinions expressed therein...what was it? aaaah the waiting is causing me mental distress )

the_syco

Gatling wrote: »

A man who dialled 999 fearing a burglary at his petrol station is being sued by the policewoman who answered the call because she fell on the premises

So, he gets robbed by a policewoman instead of a burgular? I can see petrol station owners getting guns...

Fox_In_Socks

amacca wrote: »

why?

(I'm sorry by the way - I hate causing mental distress , grammar, punctuation, clumsily written, the opinions expressed therein...what was it? aaaah the waiting is causing me mental distress )

You'll find out on Tuesday when my solicitors contact you.

I have been advised to say no more.:P

shopaholic01

Fox_In_Socks wrote: »

You'll find out on Tuesday when my solicitors contact you.

I have been advised to say no more.:P

Are you the kerb?

Fox_In_Socks

shopaholic01 wrote: »

Are you the kerb?

I can neither confirm nor deny whether I am or not the article in question.

I have been "kicked to" on occasion, however that could be within a field game context and not any other.

dark crystal

HondaSami wrote: »

How dark was it? it could happen to anyone, he should not be relying on lights across the street.
Bear in mind he works there so is familiar with the surroundings, she is not.

Police officers take the risk of getting shot, physically assaulted, ram raided etc. on a daily basis when they decide to join the force. It can be a pretty dangerous job at times.

Tripping over a kerb and grazing her knee during a routine call out is hardly going to maim her for life or cause post traumatic stress disorder, is it?

She needs to seriously cop on to herself and maybe have a think as to whether life on the beat is a suitable line of work for someone with such a delicate (and litigious) nature.

dan1895

dark crystal wrote: »

Police officers take the risk of getting shot, physically assaulted, ram raided etc. on a daily basis when they decide to join the force. It can be a pretty dangerous job at times.

Tripping over a kerb and grazing her knee during a routine call out is hardly going to maim her for life or cause post traumatic stress disorder, is it?

She needs to seriously cop on to herself and maybe have a think as to whether life on the beat is a suitable line of work for someone with such a delicate (and litigious) nature.

I see what you did there

Weathering

Burn this disgusting being

woodoo

Maybe she wasn't cut out for the job of policewoman.

RobbingBandit

Who gives a Fcuk,we are in Ireland, not the UK.

jd007

Kelly Jones?

Gatling

RobbingBandit wrote: »

Who gives a Fcuk,we are in Ireland, not the UK.

What happen's in the UK usually mirrors what could happen here eventually

Steve O

RobbingBandit wrote: »

Who gives a Fcuk,we are in Ireland, not the UK.

LMAO, oh it applies to Ireland too, plenty of claims are brought up by Garda.

Why take a knowingly dangerous job if you are going to claim for the smallest injuries?

entropi

Gatling wrote: »

What happen's in the UK usually mirrors what could happen here eventually

True. They copy it from the U.S. (compensation culture will probably be joined by ambulance chasers), and Ireland copies from them.

"Oh, it's dark out. It would be great if there was something to allow me to see my surroundings". Why would anyone in the police service not carry a working torch, and use it when needed?

fasttalkerchat

Should be sacked. Hopefully there's CCTV showing it was all a scam. If not that's even worse! Wrong person for the job!

lightspeed

mikemac1 wrote: »

There's is lighting right across the street

pic from Daily Mail

It's not like she wandering down some pitch dark country field

If it was dark enough to warrant the use of a flashlight then where was her flashlight?

Are the street lights not provided by the local council or is the shop owner responsible for ensuring that the nearby street lights are working ok and providing adequate lighting to prevent such horrific accidents from happening?

Who cares about the stupid lighting? Her job is to uphold the law.. Not to uphold the law in well lit areas.

nocoverart

Did that fat dude from bad Korea bomb the skinny people from good Korea yet? Boards needs something exciting to talk about.

Gatling

According to press reports UK police officers were paid out compensation valued at £20 million last year alone ,pretty big business

Ruudi_Mentari

Obvious kerb is is obvious, get up and get on wth it?! Paying off people for becoming embarrassed now.

and I heard cops are common claimants, I suppose they don't get turned down often, for being the law as they must likely be right, and so it goes.

suicide_circus

I must remember to sue someone next time i fall over

gallag

****, good job she never got shot or the garage owner would be in big trouble, I am sure she has been issued a torch so failure to use adequate equipment on her part.

fasttalkerchat

Gatling wrote: »

According to press reports UK police officers were paid out compensation valued at £20 million last year alone ,pretty big business

Some were stabbed or shot. Others were injured in high speed car chases or got into a scuffle during an arrest. there are a lot of genuine injuries and some officers will have permanent injuries that restrict their family lives.
Its people like the woman in this story who call every genuine injury into question.

keithb93

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

Some were stabbed or shot. Others were injured in high speed car chases or got into a scuffle during an arrest. there are a lot of genuine injuries and some officers will have permanent injuries that restrict their family lives.
Its people like the woman in this story who call every genuine injury into question.

That's all part of their job, they knew what they were getting themselves into.

fasttalkerchat

keithb93 wrote: »

That's all part of their job, they knew what they were getting themselves into.

I agree but if they're left in a wheelchair they should be granted money for home modifications etc. Its not all a big scam.

dutopia

"A step too far", heh.

Tar.Aldarion

but who will police the people who police the police?!


This is ridiculous.

discus

keithb93 wrote: »

That's all part of their job, they knew what they were getting themselves into.

Absolutely, and they go into it knowing that should they be injured in the course of protecting the citizens of, and upholding the law of their country, that the government will make sure that they are comfortably reimbursed monitarily or otherwise.