Injured Firefighters Lawyer

Injured Firefighters Have Legal Rights

Injured firefighters have legal rights.  If you were injured while on the job, you may be eligible for a large cash award.  Give our injured firefighters a call at 800-893-9645 to learn how can help you.

Fighting fires is undeniably a dangerous job. On the jobs injuries occur.  Firefighters know that being injured is a risk they sign on for when the take the job.  What some firefighters may not know is they may be able to recover monies from negligent homeowners and business owners.

In New York injured firefighters have additional legal rights when it comes to getting injured while at work.

The firefighter's rule

At one time firefighters had their own rule, which was referred to as the “firefighter’s rule.”  It disallowed them from filing a lawsuit for the majority of line-of-duty injuries caused by someone else’s negligence. Firefighters were treated in this way as courts justified it by making the assumption that firefighters were fully aware of potential risks and that they were just a part of what is a dangerous profession.

This firefighter’s rule meant that workers could sustain terrible life altering injuries due to another person’s negligence, but could never get financial compensation, even if the job was lost.

General Municipal Law § 205-a

General Municipal Law § 205-a now allows firefighters in New York today to sue the at-fault party when they are injured if negligence was the cause. This means that the person who caused the accident and injury have violated the law thereby opening the law for a civil lawsuit.

Which statutes apply?

The victim has to show that the defendant violated some state, local or federal law. This could be related to provisions from the New York City Administrative Code, which includes the electrical code, the building code and the housing maintenance code. The violators of these codes are the person(s) who own or administer property that has been subject to a fire that has required the attendance of firefighters. If, for example, a serious illegal electrical fault was found in the property and a firefighter was injured due to this violation, then the property owner could be sued for negligence.

Firefighter Injury Statistics

The National Fire Protection Association states that at least 80,000 firefighters sustain injuries annually. In the North East of the United States, firefighter personal injuries are the highest in the country.

Firefighters often suffer debilitating injuries that end their careers. Fires and chemicals can inflict severe burns and the inhaling of smoke can cause asphyxiation as well as respiratory problems. Objects falling from above can cause brain injuries and spinal injuries.

Compensation Is Possible for Firefighters Injured Due to a Negligent Party

If a firefighter suffers a serious personal injury while on duty, he or she may now be able to get compensation for the cost of the treatment of injuries, any lost income and the pain and suffering endured due to the injuries.

Contact an Experienced New York Personal Injury Attorney

You should contact an experienced New York firefighter’s attorney to arrange a free consultation. At this meeting the attorney will decide if your injuries were due to the negligent actions of another person. If he or she thinks you have a valid case then a claim for compensation will be compiled which will include an amount to cover medical costs, loss of income while recovering and an amount to compensate you for the pain and suffering you have endured as a result of injuries that were not your fault.