A documentary maker involved in a car accident in Ukraine with presenter Clive Myrie has commenced legal action against the BBC and warned that the UK broadcaster is not doing enough to protect freelancers in warzones.
Nick Sturdee suffered a life-changing brain injury and had his spleen removed after a tire exploded on his armored vehicle, causing it to turn over four times and hit a tree. He was filming the BBC documentary Ukraine’s Musical Freedom Fighters With Clive Myrie.
Sturdee, a 53-year-old Russian-speaking journalist, has instructed personal injury lawyer Helen Clifford to lodge a particulars of claim with the BBC as he seeks compensation. His injuries have prevented him from working in Ukraine since the accident, but the BBC has provided some financial support and a contract on its Ukrainecast podcast.
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Sturdee, who has made films for the BBC in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine, said his accident raised concerns about the corporation’s insurance arrangements for freelancers working in some of the most dangerous places in the world.
The journalist was shocked to discover that he was not fully insured by the BBC following his accident. The BBC has for decades offered emergency medical cover to staff and freelancers in the field, which the broadcaster argued is tantamount to insurance and similar to policies offered by rivals.
But Sturdee said that this does not cover him for loss of earnings after his injuries have limited his capacity to work. He believes that the BBC would have to acknowledge negligence to offer compensation, which may not have been the case had he been insured under a third-party policy.
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BBC Hit With Legal Writ From Filmmaker Who Suffered Brain Injury In Ukraine Car Crash
