Northern Ireland trauma bill could cost millions

High Court rules on Northern Ireland police trauma cases

Summary:

After 102 days of evidence, the High Court has handed down its judgment in McClurg and others v Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, in which 5,500 police officers and former officers are seeking damages for psychological and psychiatric injuries sustained during the conflict in Northern Ireland.

THE High Court in Belfast has opened the door to thousands of current and former police officers to claim damages for psychological injury resulting from 30 years’ policing the conflict in Northern Ireland^1,2. The case is the longest class action in UK legal history and took 102 days for the court to hear all the evidence. The judgment centres on ‘systematic failures.…

John Ballard is editor of Occupational Health [atWork].

Author: Ballard J

Tags emergency services ptsd - post traumatic stress disorder stress

Occupational Health at Work August/September 2007 (vol. 04/2) pp11-14

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