Guest pelmetman Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Norfolk police officer 'sues garage burglary victim' Garage owner Steve Jones, with the offending kerb, said the case was shocking A police officer is suing a petrol station owner after apparently tripping on a kerb on his property when called to reports of a break-in. PC Kelly Jones, 33, says she injured her leg and wrist at the filling station in Thetford, Norfolk, on 25 August last year. She was not available for comment. Petrol station owner Steve Jones said he found the case "shocking". Police said the claim appeared to be "instigated privately" by the officer. Mr Jones said PC Jones tripped and fell and that he helped her up, but did not think she was hurt. A letter to the business from solicitor Pattinson Brewer states PC Jones went to the Nunns Bridges garage at 00:20 BST. 'Unaware of step' It said she went towards a gap in the fencing near a jet wash area in order to access the rear of the premises. She did not know there was a section of high kerbing and tripped and fell. PC Jones injured her left leg and right wrist and went to the West Suffolk Hospital, the letter added. The claim alleges the petrol station was at fault for failing to ensure PC Jones was "reasonably safe", making no attempt to light the area or warn her about the step. The letter also alleges the business failed to display any warning signs or carry out a risk assessment. Mr Jones said he did not think he could have done any more to make things safe for the officer. "I think the kerb was fairly visible - as visible as any kerbs on the road she had already walked over to get here," he said. "When I got this letter I was anxious and worried. "It's left a sour taste in my mouth. "Times are quite hard for the industry and it seems everywhere we turn someone wants a piece of us - whether it's rates people, credit card companies, shoplifters, or people driving off without paying. "This is the final straw." 'Not common' Paul Ridgway, chairman of the Norfolk Police Federation, said it had been made aware of the incident soon after it happened. The officer was called to the garage just after midnight He said regardless of the federation's view on any member's claim, a claim is forwarded to a solicitor to see whether there is any merit in it. He added: "All members of the public, regardless of what profession, can claim litigation against people and against private firms - that's why everyone has insurance. "It's not common, I appreciate that, but the claim has come in and we've honoured the officer's wishes by putting it through to the solicitor." Norfolk Police said it had been unaware of the claim, adding: "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." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Quite right too. If the garage owner had been a real gentleman he would have carried the young lady over the kerb. ;-) But - can't really see what this has to do with starting a business - ............. surely this could happen at a private house ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 malc d - 2013-03-31 5:38 PM Quite right too. If the garage owner had been a real gentleman he would have carried the young lady over the kerb. ;-) But - can't really see what this has to do with starting a business - ............. surely this could happen at a private house ??? Probably *-)...........I would counter sue the officer for not using her torch......or common sense *-) Another nice little earner for the lawyering trade 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Do the police not carry a torch any more or do they just rely on the headlights of their patrol cars. Don't dial 999 anymore until you have checked that there is no baddies in the place, and you have done a risk check for any constable that might (if they are not busy) attend. Some of those old coppers must be turning in their graves. That's another thing, you never called them copper to their face, it was regarded as disrespectful and guaranteed to get a clip round the ear. That's probably why I'm deaf :D Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave225 Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Having seen a picture of said lady Plod happily carrying all her shopping without any obvious signs of injury, i can understand why she failed to see the kerb. It was just beside her feet but she probably could not even see them due to her girth so understandable really. Her ability to ovecome several other kerbs to get to the premises was all really a matter of good luck, or the Council would have been hit as well.I suspect that a claim for unfair dismissal or some other supposed slight is on the cards as I think her Force will not want to really be 'with her' for too much longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 This is Civil law. She is in law just as much entitled to bring a claim as a sane judge is to throw it out summarily and charge her personally the court costs for bringing such a "reckless and vexatious" case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Probably no win no fee Bruce. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 This still alive and kicking retired constable has just dropped back to rest after a brief burst of very high rev gyrations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 nowtelse2do - 2013-03-31 9:19 PM Probably no win no fee Bruce. Dave It is - the report showed the deposition that confirms that. Those reptiles work on the basis that most Employers Liability insurance Companies will fork out tor a "nuisance claim", paying a couple of thousand quid to make it go away, rather than incurring the cost of Barristers at High Court to fight such claims.......as if they win the judge rarely makes any award for costs against the appellant, but if they lose, costs are very often awarded against them. Such tactics only fuel more and more spurious claims........which of course only puts up your insurance premiums year after year. The concept of "reasonableness" has been twisted further and further over the years in such cases. There used to be a common-law concept that it was for the injured party to show that they had themselves done all that was reasonable to protect their own heath and safety; but judges never seem to take that into account now at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 George Collings - 2013-03-31 10:31 PM This still alive and kicking retired constable has just dropped back to rest after a brief burst of very high rev gyrations. Ha ... not a spinning top but a 'spinning cop'!!!! (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawcara Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 There was discussion of this on Radio 4 this morning (John Humphries). Something like £20 million is claimed by the Police for injuries sustained in the line of duty. This relates to civil injury claims, not criminal injuries I think. It would be interesting to see what percentage of Police are off sick in relation to the number of serving officers under Freedom of Information I should think the average rank and file cringe at things like this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Hawcara - 2013-04-01 10:13 AM There was discussion of this on Radio 4 this morning (John Humphries). Something like £20 million is claimed by the Police for injuries sustained in the line of duty. This relates to civil injury claims, not criminal injuries I think. It would be interesting to see what percentage of Police are off sick in relation to the number of serving officers under Freedom of Information I should think the average rank and file cringe at things like this I didn't hear that program, but there was a discussion about a similier case some weeks back on another forum with quite a few police officers, I was supprised at the number of cases. In this case the police might be considered at fault, an officer working at night in areas which are poorly/not lit should be appropriatly equipped with a torch and given instructions to use it, but I've no doubt the insurance company will buckle under and pay out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 It actually made the 6 o'clock news *-)...........I see her solicitors are now back peddling >:-) Nasty grubby lot, those that deal in the claims4U lawyering trade....................and have done untold damage to this country and their profession *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliveH Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 I think her Chief Constable stating his displeasure at her actions was just about the last nail in this particular grubby claims culture "coffin". What next? GP's suing patients with Flu because they coughed on the GP? Lifeguards suing swimmers because when saving them they scratched themselves on a rock? I think the Police have enough of an image problem of late - this silly greedy little person must be as welcome to the good honest coppers out there as a bad case of haemorrhoids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Looking at her, should she be fit enough for putting parking tickets on cars. She must be knackered getting dressed at morning. She is now in hiding at her mother's..............we can see yooooou (lol) She also on sick leave on a different matter not relating to her terrible injuries at the garage. Just seen a bit more of this, it seems The Police Federation actively promotes the claims hotline on its website which links its members to personal injury lawyers. Personally I've no problems with PC's claiming for injuries, but this one is taking the p$ss. Shouldn't she be claiming through her Employers liability Insurance, I would have thought this would have been the first port of call. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 CliveH - 2013-04-01 7:28 PM I think her Chief Constable stating his displeasure at her actions was just about the last nail in this particular grubby claims culture "coffin". So she will be pensioned off?? 8-)..........an even better earner *-)........Good old taxpayer eh? >:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.