Firefighter Line of Duty Injuries
As General Counsel to the 8,000-plus member New York City Uniformed Firefighters Association, we are fully aware of how these true heroes of our society place themselves in harm’s way to protect the lives and property of our citizens. Over the years Sullivan Papain Block McManus Coffinas & Cannavo P.C. has recovered over $1 Billion dollars for firefighters injured, and for families of firefighters who have died, in the line of duty. In many of these cases the lives of firefighters were unnecessarily placed in harm’s way because of poorly designed or maintained buildings or as a result of defective or inadequate firefighting equipment or otherwise through the wrongdoing of others.
SPBMCC is the leading expert in advocating for firefighters injured on the job. We have decades of experience successfully advocating for firefighters and their rights, including those provided under Section 205-a of the General Municipal Law of the State of New York. This law gives injured firefighters the right to sue those who have caused them injured due to their violation of a particular statute, code, ordinance, rule or regulation. The firm has also successfully represented firefighters injured on the job due to defective or inadequate fire equipment.
No firm is better equipped to handle these cases. Among the many high profile cases that the firm has successfully handled for firefighters and their families are the following:
- Waldbaum’s Fire of August 2, 1978
- 1993 World Trade Center Terrorist Bombing of February 26, 1993
- Father’s Day Fire of June 17, 2001
- 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund of 2003 – 2004
- 9/11 World Trade Center Disaster Site Litigation, United States District Court
- Black Sunday Bronx Fire of January 23, 2005
- Black Sunday Brooklyn Fire of January 23, 2005
- Deutsche Bank Fire of August 18, 2007
- Reopened 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund of 2011 – Present
A CD-72/73 report is your opportunity to accurately record the circumstances of your accident. These reports are saved by the FDNY and are often used by the Pension Board to help determine whether injuries are job- and accident-related.
The accuracy of this report may be considered when the Pension Board weighs whether to award a firefighter accidental or ordinary disability. A firefighter is entitled to accidental disability retirement when the disabling condition is a natural and proximate result of an accidental, on the job, injury.
An accident has been defined as a "sudden, fortuitous mischance, unexpected, out of the ordinary, and injurious in impact."
These reports are also used in the context of a personal injury suit. When a firefighter’s account of how he or she is injured faces a challenge, the CD-72/73 is often admissible in court. It can serve as the pivotal piece of evidence that confirms the veracity of the firefighter’s description of the circumstances of the accident.
Recording your accident and ensuring the accuracy of that record are of paramount importance. We can help. Please contact us for a consultation.
Being a firefighter requires courage and resolve. You protect our city, both its people and its property, by putting your lives and physical health in harm’s way each day. According to the Wills
SPBMCC drafts wills for active firefighters and their spouses for no fee. In offering this free service, we hope each firefighter recognizes the importance of preparing for the unforeseen tragedy. You protect us on a daily basis. Let us help you do the same for your family.
It is not easy for people to make claims directly to the VCF. The process of filing a claim requires careful documentation of one’s injuries and proof of eligibility.
The VCF, via its website, tells prospective claimants that “Your attorney is in the best position to let you know exactly what has been submitted to the VCF and when it was submitted, and can update you on any requests the VCF has made for additional information. Your attorney can also confirm whether or not the VCF has issued a decision on your claim and the timing of that decision."
In other words, having a lawyer gives you distinct advantages in submitting, tracking, evaluating and winning your claim.
We know how important experienced legal representation is in this process. Sullivan Papain Block McManus Coffinas & Cannavo PC has been representing 9/11 World Trade Center first responders and rescue and recovery workers from the very beginning.
