What should have been a pleasant dog walk between friends went very wrong for Kay Benstead and Annie Finnie and resulted in a messy legal battle, not to mention the end of their friendship.
Kay ending up suing her friend – and winning more than £100,000 in compensation – after she was injured when Annie’s large dog pulled her over.
The unusual circumstances prompted a debate on today’s Good Morning Britain where hosts Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard asked “is it ever OK to sue a friend?”
Speaking about it in the studio, lawyer Mark Lewis said there were situations where legal action is necessary, even between friends.
He said: “If a car was involved causing the injuries then everyone would say ‘friend or not I have to put it through the insurance and make a claim’. It’s complicated here because something emotional like a dog is involved.”
Kay and Annie had been walking their dogs together in a North London park when Annie stopped to buy drinks at a cafe.
She handed her friend her Alsatian’s lead and Kay, who was used to handling her own small cockapoodle, said wasn’t given a chance to refuse.
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The strong dog then pulled 60-year-old Kay over causing her to break her hip and arm.
Her terrible injuries meant she had to take time off her work as a social worker so she took her friend to court to gain compensation.
This week, a judge at the Central London County Court ruled in her favour, saying Annie had been “negligent”.
He ordered Annie, 76, to pay Kay £115,000 in compensation, plus court costs bringing the total to £100,000.
Needless to say, the friendship between the two is well and truly over with Annie reported to be upset her friend took the incident to such extreme lengths.
Kay also said after the court case that she regretted it had come to a legal battle.
She told The Evening Standard: “This whole thing has been horrible and although I’m relieved the court case is over I regret it had to be taken to court because it has been an ordeal.”
On today’s GMB, behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings said it was a shame the situation couldn’t have been resolved amicably.
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She said: “There has to be a better way than taking it to court. A better way would have been to get a mediator and try to settle it amicably outside court.
“It is sad the friendship is over as it would be hard to come back from this.”
Viewers at home took to Twitter to share their views on the matter. The majority said they didn’t think a true friend would take another to court.
In the studio, Kate joked that she had a solution to the problem.
“Just have friends with cats!” she laughed.