Policewoman wins £9k payout over pothole in station car park

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Officer tripped in Eastbourne and claimed the payout against Sussex Police
Another received £500 after a police dog bit him on the behind
Part of a catalogue of payouts revealed under Freedom of Information laws
Other pending claims have had as much as £100,000 set aside for them
Campaigners say the compensation culture is a cause of outrage

By Kieran Corcoran

Published: 09:25 EST, 19 April 2014 | Updated: 12:20 EST, 19 April 2014

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A police officer was paid £9,000 for tripping over a pothole in his station's car park thanks to a compensation culture which campaigners say will 'make people's blood boil'.

The unnamed female officer settled out-of-court after hurting her ankle when she fell over in Eastbourne, East Sussex, three years ago.

Another officer was given £500 by Sussex Police because he was bitten on the behind by his police dog.

Compensation culture: The claims were revealed under Freedom of Information laws

A policeman who hurt his tooth after using a riot shield upside-down, another who was singed during firearms training and a third who opened a window only for it to fall on him also feature in a catalogue of claims brought by officers against their own police force.

Other cases which the force are still disputing could end up costing far more - with some pending claims already expected to exceed £100,000.

Bitten: One policeman was handed £500 after his rear was bitten by a police dog

Figures obtained under Freedom of Information laws show that an officer claimed after slipping on a wet floor in the custody suite of Crawley, East Sussex, in March 2011.

He twisted his knee despite warnings that the floor was slippery, and is now pursuing his force for a payout.

The TaxPayers' Alliance today claimed the cases will 'make people's blood boil' and infuriate other officers who do not make such claims.

The officer with the hurt tooth, who is left-handed, sought damages after being given a right-handed shield, which he said led to injury as he had to use it 'the wrong way up'.

However, in this case, in Midhurst in February 2011, the force did not accept liability.

Meanwhile, another officer received money after a window fell on him as he opened it.

He received £1,588 in March 2013 following the incident in Worthing because he suffered an injury to his left hand.

An officer received £500 after being injured during firearms training at Gatwick in January 2013.

On this occasion the police officer suffered 'significant burns to the neck' from a shell casing which was ejected from a gun.

In total Sussex Police paid out £21,088 in out-of-court settlements between January 2011 and December 2013.

PC PAYOUTS: CLAIMS AGAINST SUSSEX POLICE

July 2011: Hastings, claimant walked through a door and shutter fell and hit him, paid £2,000 out-of-court

July 2011: Lewes HQ, a colleague used too much force and bent an officer's thumb back towards his wrist paid £6,000 out-of-court

May 2012: Brighton, claimant bitten by dog. Received £500 out-of-court

February 2011: Eastbourne claimant slips on pothole, paid £9,000 out-of-court

August 2012: Hassocks, claimant bitten by dog, paid £1,200 out-of-court

January 2013: Gatwick, shell casing from gun ejected and injured claimant, paid £500 out-of-court

March 2013: Worthing, claimant opened window which then fell on him, paid £1,588 out-of-court

September 2012: Seaford, claimant bitten by dog, paid £500 out-of-court.

Cases which are still open:

December 2011: Sussex House, Brighton, claimant slipped on ice in car park

No date: Brighton, bullying and harassment

June 2012: Brighton, bitten by police dog

November 2011: Hove, Claimant trapped between moving police vehicle and crowd at riot

November 1998: force-wide, claimant suffers PTSD from undercover work.

A number of cases are still open although 'reserve values' - how much has been set aside to potentially payout - have been agreed.

Three of these values are set at £100,000. One involves an incident in December 2011 in Brighton, after a police officer slipped on ice in a police station car park at Sussex House.

A second £100,000 pounds value has been set for an incident in Brighton in June 2012 when a police officer, acting as a 'stooge' in dog training was bitten.

The third dates from 1998 and relates to an officer carrying out undercover work who reportedly suffered post-traumatic stress disorder.

A Sussex Police statement said: 'Our Civil Claims Unit looks to make sure that any claims are dealt with fairly, professionally and in accordance with the Civil Procedure Rules and Protocols.

'The nature of police work means it is unpredictable and officers and staff can, unfortunately, occasionally get injured during operations, daily duty or training exercises.

'All the claims are assessed on the severity of the injuries, the circumstances in which they were received and the question of liability is always fully investigated objectively.

'Where liability exists, compensation is paid to minimise the impact of the injury and feedback is given to ensure that any lessons that can be learnt.'

Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: 'These claims will make people's blood boil, and wind up officers on the front line who don't make such ludicrous claims.

'The police do a difficult job and those hurt in the line of duty deserve support, but clearly some of these cases and the amounts involved are spurious to the extreme.

'Its time police chiefs stamped out the compensation culture that has crept into parts of the police station.'