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North’s cops sue over PTSD

February 17, 2011

By Staff Reporter

In one of the biggest civil actions in British legal history, the officers are seeking financial compensation for “a failure to diagnose or treat” post-traumatic stress disorder.
The case is due to last four months and is proceeding as a class action with up to 20 individual cases being selected to represent issues common to all.
Many of them faced direct attack or had to cope with the aftermath of atrocities. Others are fighting for loss of earnings after being medically discharged.
Their lawyer told the High Court in Belfast on Monday that they were seeking recognition of what happened and financial help. Occupational therapy had only been provided from 1987 and had been inadequate, he said.
While the officers had volunteered for a highly dangerous job, they had been injured more than they should have and it was a case of “system failure.”
Those taking the case range in range from constable to chief superintendent and 2,000 of them are still serving in the police. Leading experts have been engaged to give evidence about the development of psychiatric damage.
Speaking outside the court, Terry Spence of the Police Federation said symptoms among officers had been identified by the RUC over many years. “They didn’t take any remedial action to deal with that,” he alleged.
“It has resulted in marriage break-ups and family break-ups. It has also involved acute alcoholism within the service and personality breakdown,” he said.
Sinn F

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