Civil Suit

A Harris County jury has awarded a former Houston firefighter $250,000 in damages against her former captain for unlawfully sharing a nude video of her. Melinda Abbt filed suit against Captain John Chris Barrientes and the city, alleging sexual harassment and violation of a Texas law titled “Unlawful Disclosure or Promotion of Intimate Visual Material.”

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A Minnesota judge has found the City of Orono to be in contempt of court for violating her earlier order in a suit brought by the City of Long Lake over the breach of a fire protection agreement. The two cities, along with the City of Medina, are parties to an agreement whereby the Long Lake FD would provide services to the 3 communities.

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The Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled that a trial judge erred when he dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit brought against the City of Detroit by the husband of a woman who died in a crash with a responding DFD engine. India D. Sullivan died several months after the December 4, 2017 crash.

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A nurse who was hired by a Missouri fire department in April, 2022 has filed suit claiming that sexual harassment forced her to request a reduction to part-time status in September, 2022 and resign in December, 2022. Christeena Ferguson filed suit alleging 3 counts of sexual harassment and discrimination against the Southern Jackson County Fire Protection District.

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The State of Nevada has agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by eight inmate firefighters who claim they were mistreated while serving with the Nevada Division of Forestry. The suit was brought by the ACLU of Nevada and alleged the firefighters were subjected to cruel and unusual punishment.

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A federal court has refused to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit filed against a West Virginia firefighter and his fire department over the death of a couple at a fire scene in Ohio. William A. Reed, Jr. and Karolyn Reed died on April 29, 2021 at the scene of a mobile home fire when they were struck by a backing fire truck.

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The president of Lancaster Professional Firefighters, IAFF Local 319 has filed a class action lawsuit claiming that the city has failed to include longevity pay in the regular rate for purposes of calculating overtime compensation. Geoff L. Stone is seeking to recover damages for the unpaid, improperly calculated overtime compensation.

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The widow of a firefighter who died in a building fire last March, has filed suit against the building’s owner, a contractor, and the City of Buffalo. Sarah-Elizabeth L. Tierney filed suit in Erie County Supreme Court naming JP Contracting of WNY, LLC., 743 Main Street, LLC., and the city as defendants, accusing them of negligence and wrongful death.

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A lawsuit filed by the husband of an Illinois firefighter who committed suicide has been dismissed by agreement of all parties. Daniel Zaboroski had filed the suit as the executor for the estate of his wife, Nicole Hladik, and on his own behalf, against the Village of Hinsdale and a lieutenant.

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A firefighter who was terminated by the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management after reporting misconduct by members of a wildland corrections crew, has filed suit alleging retaliation, age discrimination, disability discrimination and wrongful termination. JD Ottman filed suit in federal court alleging both federal and state claims.

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The ongoing saga of Boston firefighter Octavius Rowe suffered another setback as the Massachusetts Court of Appeals upheld his 2018 termination for making a series of racist and homophobic social media posts. Rowe, who served as vice president of Boston’s Vulcan Society, claimed he had been singled out for discipline for his posts while the city ignored comparably offensive posts by white firefighters.

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Two Philadelphia firefighters have filed a class action lawsuit claiming their union breached its duty of fair representation by misleading the membership about certain pension benefits. Joseph Farrell and Patrick Viola filed suit in Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas naming IAFF Local 22 and the City of Philadelphia as defendants.

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A woman whose fiancé and two children were severely injured in a gas explosion in Kiamesha Lake, New York on September 30, 2023, has filed a petition to order her landlord, the propane supplier, and the local fire department to preserve evidence and reports related to the incident. Autumn Donnelly filed the verified petition naming Blue Flame Propane, LLC, Sumona Easmin Jona, and the Monticello Fire Department.

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A personal injury suit filed by a woman injured when a driverless engine smashed into her office building, has been reinstated by the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court. Berta Abreu Flores’ claims for pain and suffering against North Hudson Regional Fire Rescue had been dismissed last year.

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