Police officers injured while doing more than they are required have no legal right to sue those who caused the problem in the first place, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday, according to the Arizona Daily Star. In a unanimous ruling, the judges said on-duty officers essentially make conscious decisions to put themselves at additional risk. That makes any injuries they sustain part of their job, whether it really fits within their job description or not.
Attorney David Abney warned that the ruling could lead to police officers refusing to take those extra steps rather than waiting for firefighters to arrive. The case stems from a 2008 incident on a Phoenix freeway where Officer Ross Read had been writing a citation for a motorist when he observed Brittini Keyfauver lose control of her vehicle, roll through the median and land upside down. He said he hurt his knee and back while trying to extract her.