PHOENIX — In February of 2022, Officer Trisha Eskridge was shot in the arm, hip and foot in an ambush attack while she was trying to save a baby placed on the front doorstep of a Phoenix home.
A year later, as she worked to heal from her injuries, she applied for a catastrophic disability retirement with the City of Phoenix. Nine months later, she's still waiting on a final decision to be made.
Her claim was previously denied and she's since filed an appeal.
“Ms. Eskridge’s injuries do prevent her from performing the essential functions of a lot of positions not just as a police officer," said Cassidy Bacon, Eskridge's attorney.
After serving in the military, then Phoenix PD for 22 years, Eskridge's injuries prevented her from working again.
But the single mom's financial future has been in limbo ever since she was shot.
“She’s unable to engage in any job functions that require significant physical exertion. She’s also prevented from doing a lot of clerical work. The gunshot injuries to her elbow, for example, render her unable to rotate her arm so she can’t type," Bacon said.
Catastrophic disability is the maximum benefit the city offers. It pays out ninety percent of an employee's salary.
But in August, the pension board denied Eskridge's claim. Instead, they approved an accidental disability claim, meaning she gets half of her salary.
“I don't know where they came up with that term, here's a woman who was shot three times that it wasn't accidental, her life has been altered," said Randy Sutton, founder of the Wounded Blue. "Those who get severely injured in the line of duty often fall through the cracks.”
The question of "gainful employment"
Eskridge and her attorney appealed the pension board's decision. On Tuesday, her rehearing was set.
“The board has never defined gainful employment," Bacon said to the board.
"Gainful employment" is what determines if an officer gets an accidental or catastrophic disability.
In Eskridge's case, the independent doctor who examined her concluded she could never work as a police officer again, but wrote she "could engage in some form of gainful employment in the civilian sector, most likely in the sedentary capacity."
Eskridge's attorney argued Phoenix needs a definition for what "gainful" really means. She stated other jurisdictions across the country have created a definition.
“There are several cases out of Alabama for example," Bacon said. "Essentially requires it to be a comparable position to, in this case a police officer position.”
Ultimately, the pension board voted to hold a work session next month to discuss the term and in the meantime, send Eskridge to another independent medical exam.
The injured officer's battle for benefits continues.
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