That… Doesn’t make sense. Qualified immunity means that the officers can’t be sued individually, not that the department can call it.
But, he was hit while they were responding to an emergency, so his lawsuit was never going to be successful.
I don’t know from the law, but it seems to me, you get in a wreck and it’s your fault, you’re liable. Even with ‘qualified immunity’, which I hate, the cops ought to be liable.
Ain’t doubting you’re right, of course. Just saying it’s stupid.
Also seems like stupid public relations. Paying the guy’s medical bills plus a few grand to repair his motorcycle wouldn’t break the budget for a city the size of Minneapolis. It would buy more than it would cost in goodwill for the city and even the cops.
Instead, they just give the guy a big fat ‘fuck you’.
The thing is that emergency personnel aren’t liable if they’re responding to an emergency. The courts will side with them 99% of the time.
His case was lost before he even filed it.
Also, paying out isn’t done out of the city budget. These huge payouts you see are from the city’s insurance policy, and that policy likely requires them to fight it.
These huge payouts you see are from the city’s insurance policy, and that policy likely requires them to fight it.
If those are the rules the rules are wrong and ought to be illegal.
It’s just how insurance works. Whenever you hear a story about like a mother suing their kid because they fell or something, it’s really just two insurance companies suing each other.
Oh yeah, I do understand that’s how insurance works. :)
The fact that the city doesn’t even attempt to make it right, boils my balls.
