Fire Law Roundup for October 9, 2023

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for October 9, 2023, Brad and Curt discuss criminal charges against volunteer firefighters in two states for setting multiple fires; a court ruling dismissing FDNY from an EMS-related suit for wrongful death; the ...

Fire Law Roundup for August 1, 2022

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for August 1, 2022, Brad and Curt discuss a gender discrimination suit by two chief officers in the Tulsa Fire Department; a ruling by the Texas Court of Appeals holding that backpay for ...

Bridgeport Sues Contractor For Indemnification Over Fatal Fire

The City of Bridgeport, Connecticut and its Mayor, fire chief, fire marshal, zoning official, and building official have filed suit against a construction company seeking indemnification for any damages they may have to pay in a previously filed lawsuit over a four fatality fire

Case Against FDNY Coffee Break EMTs Dismissed

The lawsuit filed by the family of a pregnant woman who died in 2009 after two FDNY EMTs allegedly refused to help her because they were on a coffee break, has been dismissed. Eutisha Rennix suffered an asthma attack on ...

Wisconsin Supreme Court Limits Firefighter Immunity Protection

The Wisconsin Supreme Court issued an important ruling today on firefighter liability under state law. The case of Brown et al v. Acuity et al arose out of a vehicle accident involving a volunteer firefighter responding to an alarm. On ...

Missouri Court Rules that “True Emergency” Required for EMTs to Claim Immunity

In a troubling decision issued on September 21, 2010, the Missouri Court of Appeals ruled that immunity protection for emergency responders will not protect them if they mistakenly conclude a patient is not seriously ill. The background of the case is ...

Michigan Appeals Court Dismisses All But One Firefighter From Personal Injury Suit

The Court of Appeals of Michigan handed down a ruling last week that dismissed a fire department and several firefighter defendants from a personal injury suit, but left one firefighter now to face a jury. The plaintiff in the suit, ...

Kentucky Case Upholds Immunity for Fire Departments

When it comes to the liability of fire departments, suits for negligent firefighting concern fire chiefs and firefighters the most. Making life and death decisions in a time compressed, high-stress environment with incomplete situational awareness seems like a recipe for poor decisionmaking. These circumstances that make ...

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