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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
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    Default Can You Sue the Police for Bystander Injuries in a Foot Chase

    A small child in New York City was injured by a criminal who was being chased by the police, when the criminal grabbed her by the back of the shirt and threw her out of his way. She had significant facial injuries and required surgery. She is now an adult, and is wondering if she can sue the police over the incident.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
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    Default Re: Can You Sue the Police for Bystander Injuries in a Foot Chase

    The woman has two issues in trying to sue the police. The first is the statute of limitations, which in New York would normally start to run when she turned 18, allowing her to sue up to the age of 21. If she may still file a lawsuit, the second issue is that the facts don't suggest that the police engaged in any negligent acts that contributed to the injury. A car chase involves the use of a potentially dangerous instrumentality, a motor vehicle, but a foot chase does not. A criminal choosing to injure somebody during a foot chase is normally an act for which the criminal may be prosecuted, but not something that will create any liability on the part of the police department.

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