Nevada Firefighter Sued Over Altercation With Woman

A woman who was injured in an altercation with a Sparks firefighter has filed suit alleging battery and excessive force. Maureen Hvegholm filed suit against Timothy Egan in Washoe County District Court. The incident occurred last December and was captured on surveillance video.

Nevada Ketamine Suit Removed to Federal Court

A Nevada man who suffered respiratory arrest after medics administered ketamine to him in 2020, is suing the fire department, two medics and two police officers involved in the incident. Marc Galli filed suit last September against the city of Henderson, the medics and the police officers. The suit was removed to US District Court yesterday.

Minnesota Medics Entitled to Qualified Immunity on Excessive Force Claim

The US Eighth Circuit has joined a growing number of circuit courts holding that fire and EMS personnel who restrain a combative patient should not be evaluated under the Fourth Amendment excessive-force analysis that applies to police officers. Rather, fire and EMS personnel are “acting as medical responders, not as law enforcement officers,” and as such may be acting in an objectively reasonable manner when administering a sedative to a patient.

Suit By Chicago Firefighter Assaulted By Officer To Continue

A Chicago firefighter who claims he was punched by his lieutenant and knocked unconscious at a post-incident review last year, has survived a motion to dismiss his federal court case. John Copeland filed suit last year against Lt. Leonard Johnson and the City of Chicago for a violation of his civil rights and several state law counts.

LA County Fire Sued for $10.4 Million Over Restraint of Seizure Patient

A man who claims he was handcuffed and restrained while having an epileptic seizure has filed a $10.4 million suit against the California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles County Fire Department. Jason Cook is seeking is damages from the State of California, five CHP officers, LA County, four firefighters, a captain and the fire chief for physical, psychological, and emotional injuries he claims are severe.

Georgia FD EMT Sued Over Positional Asphyxia Death

A fire department EMT and two sheriff’s deputies from Coweta County, Georgia have been sued for violating the civil rights of a man who died of positional asphyxia while being restrained. Chase Sherman died on November 20, 2015 after being tased and subdued by Coweta County responders on I85 in Coweta County.

Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone