{"id":368862,"date":"2022-01-21T13:30:27","date_gmt":"2022-01-21T18:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-a-911-dispatcher.html"},"modified":"2026-05-21T13:44:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T18:44:28","slug":"can-i-sue-a-911-dispatcher","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-a-911-dispatcher.html","title":{"rendered":"Can I Sue a 911 Dispatcher?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Can I Sue a 911 Dispatcher?<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Steven Ellison, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Joseph Fawbush, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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You may have a claim against a 911 dispatcher, but you’ll face an uphill battle. In general, people don’t owe each other a duty to help in an emergency. That goes for 911 call centers as well. And in most states, 911 dispatchers and first responders are immune from civil liability for negligence.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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If you can show that a 911 dispatcher was grossly negligent, acted willfully or wantonly, or hurt you intentionally, they lose their immunity. You may be able to recover, depending on which state you were in.<\/p>\n

Cases against 911 dispatchers are hard to win. If you’re considering a lawsuit, you may wish to consult an experienced\u00a0personal injury attorney<\/a>. Act quickly so that the recordings of your emergency calls and other possible evidence are not lost.<\/p>\n

How 911 Services Work<\/h2>\n

In 1967, a Presidential Commission recommended<\/a> a single nationwide phone number for reporting emergencies. That number became 911. In 1968, State Rep. Rankin Fite reportedly made the first 911 call<\/a> in Alabama.<\/p>\n

Times have changed greatly since. Emergency services now include, among others, the fire department, city police department, and county sheriff. These roles have had to adapt to cell phones, text messages, and internet calls. They’re now also able to provide services to the hearing and visually impaired. Now, the technology exists to enable dispatchers, even with the most limited information, to locate most callers and send first responders in times of need.<\/p>\n

But sometimes they make mistakes. And the results can be\u00a0horrifying.<\/p>\n

In 2012, for example, a social worker called 911<\/a> to report suspected danger at the home of a father, Josh Powell. She asserted that the dispatcher failed to take her concerns seriously. Powell soon committed murder-suicide after she placed the call.\u00a0<\/p>\n

An Example of a 911 Call Gone Wrong<\/h2>\n

Suppose a mom collapses in her kitchen. Her five-year-old dials 911. The emergency operator thinks it’s a prank and hangs up. The child calls again. The operator again hangs up.<\/p>\n

The dad comes home that evening and finds the mom unresponsive on the kitchen floor. He dials 911. They immediately send emergency medical services. Once they arrive, they determine that Mom had a stroke. Thankfully, she survives but has a long road of rehab ahead before she is fully functional again.<\/p>\n

If EMS had arrived earlier \u2014 like when the child first called \u2014 mom would have had a much better outcome. Can the family sue the police dispatcher?<\/p>\n

You May Have a 911 Negligence Claim<\/h2>\n

To sue someone, you must have a legal claim against them. If you wanted to sue someone for not doing something or for doing something wrong, you would need to establish\u00a0negligence<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Although state laws vary slightly, a negligence claim generally requires you to prove the following:<\/p>\n