Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
Two FDNY firefighters have filed suit against the city alleging that their department-issued protective gloves were responsible for burns they sustained to the backs of their hands.
Lt. Martin Kalwiss and Firefighter Michael Galgano filed suit in New York Supreme Court in Queens, alleging the city-issued safety equipment was defective. Both sustained radiant heat burns through their Blaze Fighter firefighting gloves. The gloves were manufactured by The Glove Corp, who ordered a recall of all Blaze Fighter gloves made between December 2009 and December 2010.
The lawsuit faces an initial obstacle in that New York has a requirement that before someone can sue a municipality, they must file a notice of intention to sue within 90 days of the incident. Kalwiss and Galgano were injured at a fire in November, 2010 and were unaware of the 90 day notice requirement. They are asking a judge to grant them an extension of the 90 day time frame.
