– I’m happy to finally be believed. Finally. It feels absolutely amazing. I hope Drangedal municipality accepts and respects the court’s decision, that we can now end this and move on in life, says Cecilie Haugen to NRK.
It has been almost three years since the bullying case in Drangedal, with just over 4,000 inhabitants, became known in earnest.
Cecilie Haugen is currently disabled, and believes Drangedal municipality can be blamed for Bostrak school and Drangedal ungdomsskole not intervening to prevent what she experienced as repeated cases of bullying growing up.
Haugen demanded a meager 2.3 million in compensation from the municipality. In addition, NOK 250,000 in other expenses in connection with the case, and that the other party also pays her legal costs.
Full victory
Now the Telemark District Court has had its say. Drangedal municipality must pay Haugen more than 2 million kroner in compensation after she was bullied at the primary and secondary school.
– It means everything. I have not quite figured it out yet. I have always believed in myself and I have friends and family who have believed in me, says Haugen on Friday afternoon.
The municipality must also pay NOK 1 million for legal costs, reports NTB.
– We are very happy. That Cecilie, with her terrible story being heard, is incredibly important. And it is time that she is heard, says her lawyer Johannes Kleppe to NRK.
After an overall assessment, the court has concluded that the bullying the municipality is responsible for is a “necessary condition” for Haugen’s injuries.
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Believes illness is due to bullying at school
One of the main points in the case was about the consequences of the bullying.
Haugen’s psychologist believes she developed post-traumatic stress disorder due to bullying at school. But the municipality’s expert says it is not true.
Psychologist Hans Ole Korsgaard has also concluded that Haugen has developed (PTSD) and that this is due to bullying since she was around 11 years old.
Bullying was, among other things, freezing in the schoolyard and throwing shit on the school bus. She sought refuge in the bathroom during the break to get peace. When she went out, she was almost always left alone, without anyone wanting to play or talk to her, she said.
During the trial, the municipality emphasized that it was conditions at home that caused her to have mental problems.
– The municipality does not take a liability for damages in the sense that they believe the tort law conditions are met, said Terje Marthinsen, Kogstad Lunde & Co, who represents Drangedal municipality he to NRK.
Mayor of Drangedal, Tor Peder Lohne told NRK on Friday afternoon that they will read the verdict more carefully before commenting on it. He does not yet know whether they will appeal the case to the Court of Appeal.
70 people considered lawsuits
In 2019, the case engaged a lot.
What was initially a group of a few people, ended with several dozen people meeting for a general meeting with lawyer Vibeke Hein Bæra in June the same year.
More than 70 people considered at one point to claim compensation from Drangedal municipality.
All claimed bullying at school, and that the municipality did not do enough to put an end to it.
Like four other condominiums, Cecilie Haugen was rejected when she applied for compensation in 2020.
A refusal she decided not to accept.
NRK
explains
This is the bullying case in Drangedal
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Started with a case in a local newspaper
The bullying case in Drangedal became seriously known when the local newspaper Drangedalsposten mentioned it in the spring of 2019. Then it became known that several people had contacted lawyer Vibeke Hein Bæra to tell about bullying growing up, and that they wanted a final settlement with the municipality.
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Very many inquiries
Within a few weeks, more than 70 people contacted the lawyer to tell about similar experiences. More than 40 people attended a general meeting with lawyer Hein Bæra. The case received a lot of attention, both nationally and locally.
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Told about tough experiences
Cecilie Haugen chose early on to be open in the media, and told about bullying at both primary and secondary school through growing up in Drangedal. She is currently disabled and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. She believes this is due to bullying the municipality was responsible for putting an end to.
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Got no compensation
In January 2020, Cecilie Haugen and several others were denied the claim for compensation from the municipality. She refused to accept this, and took the case to court. So far, she is the only one who has gone so far in connection with the bullying settlement in Drangedal.
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Met in court
In January 2022, the parties met in Telemark District Court. A number of witnesses were called to the case, which lasted five days. It was tough days with detailed descriptions of what Haugen thought she was exposed to at school.
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