Boston Globe: “The families of two Boston firefighters killed in a West Roxbury restaurant fire and a third firefighter injured in the blaze will split $2.2 million to settle lawsuits they brought against the restaurant, its landlord, and a grease-cleaning company, according to a source involved in the agreement.” As we’ve mentioned in the past, the “firefighters’ rule”, a “doctrine that historically has barred lawsuits by public safety officers against those whose negligence has allegedly led to emergencies […] has decayed considerably in recent years in some jurisdictions, and suits by firefighters, police, paramedics and other rescuers have multiplied.” Also of note: “when they died, [one of the two firefighters] had traces of cocaine in his blood, and [the other’s] blood alcohol level was .27, three times the legal limit to drive in Massachusetts, according to two government officials who described the results to the Globe”. The firefighters’ union has thus far successfully blocked efforts to subject its members to drug and alcohol testing.
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You’d think that someone whose business was destroyed after one drunk and one high firefighter responded would have a right to sue, too!
This story is a little one sided. The families are not exactly splitting 2.2 million. They each received 200k and another firefighter who was injured received 50k. The rest of the settlement (approx. 1.5 million) was awarded to the City of Boston. Somehow that little point keeps getting missed. So just to be sure we are clear, the two firefighters, one of which was burned beyond recognition in the sudden backdraft explosion and the city gets paid. That’s a pretty sweet deal, I wonder if they get paid when a cop gets shot too.