Man Shot in the Back by Policemen Awarded J$40M
A 20-year-old man – Lloyd Clarke, an apprentice mason of Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland – who was shot in the back by a policeman, was recently awarded a record J$40 million in damages settlement by the Supreme Court. The award is one of the highest ever in a personal injury suit against the state.
The court heard evidence that on July 24, 2006, Clarke was walking on Barclay Street, Savanna-la-Mar, when he was shot in the back and right elbow by one or other of three policemen (Corporal E. F. Quest, Constable R. Barrett and District Constable M. Bernard) who were named as defendants. His spinal cord was completely severed which caused complete paralysis from the waist down. Medical evidence revealed that he will never be able to work again as a mason, and is totally dependent on someone to help with his personal hygiene.
Clarke sued all three policemen and the attorney general to recover damages. Acting Supreme Court Judge Sarah Thompson-James heard evidence in the matter, and ruled that the defendants were liable to pay damages. Mr. Justice Roy Anderson assessed damages last week and ordered the Government to pay general damages of $26 million with interest for pain and suffering and loss of amenities. He was awarded US$7,500 (J$600,000) for a motorised wheelchair, $3.3 million for loss of future earnings and $7.8 million for future nursing and personal care. Legal costs of $76,000 were also awarded.
Tags : accidental police shooting settlement, accidental shooting, personal injury lawsuit, police shooting award
4 Responses to “Man Shot in the Back by Policemen Awarded J$40M”
said on December 21st, 2008 at 9:21 pm
[...] to the recent Supreme Court ruling of a J$40M award to a man who had been shot in the back by the police, today’s Jamaica Gleaner editorial [...]
said on December 31st, 2008 at 6:08 pm
[...] the recent record court ruling award of a record J$40M to a man who had been shot in the back by the police, here is the Gleaner newspaper cartoonist Las [...]
said on May 26th, 2009 at 6:26 am
[...] a wounding charge stemming from an incident in 2006 when a man (Lloyd Clarke) was shot in his back. Clarke was awarded J$40M compensation by the Supreme Court last year. Bernard will return to count next Thursday (May 27) to receive his sentence. var addthis_pub = [...]
said on June 10th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
[...] and is totally dependent on someone to help with his personal hygiene. In December of last year, he was awarded a record J$40 million in damages settlement by the Supreme Court – one of the highest ever in a [...]
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