FDNY FFS SUE OVER THUMB INJURIES FROM NEW RIGS
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Five firefighters have crushed their thumbs in the doors of the FDNY’s brand new firetrucks within six months of each other and are suing or plan to sue the city over what they call a faulty door design.
The Bravest — Christopher Wilson, Anthony Delgado, Daniel Haase, Scott Hernandez and Patrice Casimir — say the inside handles on the rear doors of the Kovatch Mobile Equipment pumper trucks are situated too close to the hinge and leave no clearance for their fingers, according to court papers filed in Brooklyn Supreme Court.
“They need to respond to emergencies,” said attorney Dana Cutting, who represents the firefighters. “In all these cases, they’ve become the emergency.”
Each of the men, who work at fire stations in The Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens, suffered gruesome injuries including fractures, deep cuts and the loss of a nail from getting their thumbs caught, court papers say.
Wilson was out of work from Engine Co. 228 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, for two months after mangling his thumb in the door Jan. 26, according to the papers.
“Immediately, I felt pain and realized that I had closed the door on my left thumb,” said Wilson in an affidavit. “I was in pain and bleeding profusely.”
The firefighters were each hurt by pulling either the small black door handle near the door hinge or the silver horizontal bar across the window, which is extends too far, said Cutting.
An FDNY spokeswoman said it’s already changed the handles and latches to its fleet of 91 KME pumper trucks.
Wilson and Casimir have asked a court for permission to file late notices of claim after missing the 90-day deadline, while Haase and Hernandez have already filed.
Delgado’s suit is pending in Bronx Supreme Court, Cutting said.
The city Comptroller’s Office, which handles notices of claim, declined to comment.
A city Law Department rep said Delgado and Casimir’s cases are under review.
Cutting says her clients are also considering suits against KME, which didn’t respond to questions.