Decolator, Cohen & DiPrisco - Authors of The Police Officers Right to Sue Newsletter

Decolator, Cohen & DiPrisco, LLP, is dedicated to representing members of the service who are exposed to the unnecessary dangerous work conditions caused by the negligence and omissions by the City of New York. The following is a list of line-of-duty unsafe work condition accidents DCD has undertaken or is presently litigating on behalf of members of the service.

I. STATION HOUSE/COMMAND

A. Exterior Staircase

P $3,000,000.00 settlement for two Officers’ injured after an exterior staircase railing collapsed causing the Officers’ injuries.

P $65,000 settlement for Officer injured after falling down vestibule steps which were covered by cardboard “mats” placed on steps to prevent snow from accumulating.

B. Interior Staircase

P $75,000 settlement on a case involving broken and defective steps where Officer fell and sustained a shoulder injury necessitating surgery.

P $13,500 settlement on a case involving an Officer twisting his ankle when he fell on a broken step inside a Bronx command.

P $75,000 settlement for Officer injured after falling on debris left on interior staircase of station house.

P $475,000 settlement for Officer injured on a poorly designed circular staircase in a public building,

P Litigation pending on a case involving an Officer severely injured as a result of falling in a station house staircase which had inadequate lighting.

P Litigation pending on a case involving an Officer injured as a result of falling on cracked steps in a station house staircase.

C. Hallways

P Litigation pending on a case in which an Officer sustained a serious injury to her shoulder necessitating surgery when she tripped on a ladder left in the basement hallway of a precinct due to inadequate lighting.

P $125,000 settlement for Lieutenant injured when he slipped on a recently mopped hallway floor in station house. The custodian failed to place caution signs indicating the hallway floor was wet.

D. Offices

P $250,000 settlement from City of New York for Officer injured after tripping on a box of computer paper left near doorway while entering muster room.

P $2,600,000 jury verdict for an Officer who seriously injured her shooting hand when a previously disposed, defective file cabinet malfunctioned causing the file cabinet to topple over. Matter settled for $1.5 million prior to appeal.

P $150,000 settlement for an Officer injured after tripping on broken floor tiles in an office at headquarters.

P Litigation pending on a case involving an Officer injured after tripping on broken tiles in a Transit District office.

E. Locker Room

P $750,000 settlement for an Officer injured after he slipped on water on the locker room floor in a station house. The overhead pipe was leaking for an extended period of time.

P Litigation pending on a case involving an Officer injured after a broken locker collapsed on the Officer.

P $85,000 settlement on a case involving a Sergeant injured after slipping on water stemming from a ceiling leak in a Housing command.

F. Gym

P $50,000 settlement for an Officer injured as a result of being injured from defective gym equipment in the station house gym.

G. Bathroom

P Litigation pending on a case involving an Officer who was injured after slipping on water in a station house bathroom. The water emanated from a broken water pipe in the ceiling above the bathroom.

P $700,000 settlement on a case involving an Officer severely injured after a sliding window collapsed in a second floor bathroom in a Mounted Unit Command.

H. Parking Lot

P Litigation pending on several cases involving members of the service falling in holes in station house parking lots.

P $1,000,000 settlement for a Deputy Inspector who injured her foot necessitating multiple surgeries when she tripped on a cracked gas filler pipe in a station house parking lot.

P $20,000 settlement for Officer who broke her wrist falling in an improperly plowed station house parking lot.

P Litigation pending on three other cases involving Officers falling on ice in station house parking lots after the City failed to adequately make the parking lots safe.

I. Desk

P A $45,000 settlement for an Officer who suffered minor hearing loss when the station house alarm malfunctioned while the Officer was behind the desk.

J. Range

P 1.5 million dollar settlement for a Manhattan North Police Officer who was injured after being struck by shrapnel which ricocheted off a target stand.

P $20,000 settlement for an Officer who received a laceration after being struck by ricochet shrapnel while qualifying at the range.

P A $75,000 settlement for an Officer injured after tripping on broken pavement at the Rodman’s Neck Range.

K. Jail Cell Door

P $1,000,000 settlement for an Officer injured after he attempted to close a jail cell door which was broken. The cell door reverberated back into the officer causing a serious neck injury.

L. Barrier Removal

P $ 200,000 settlement for an Officer injured after removing Police Department barriers. The Officer injured her shoulder as result of participating in an unsafe work condition.

M. Training Area

P Officer severely injured after attempting to leave the abandoned 2nd Avenue subway tunnel, inadvertently exited through a door which had no floor.

II. DEFECTIVE AND INADEQUATE EQUIPMENT/DEFECTIVE DESIGN

P 1.5 million dollar settlement for a Manhattan North Police Officer who was injured after being struck by shrapnel which ricocheted off a target stand.

P $20,000 settlement for an Officer who received a laceration after being struck by ricochet shrapnel while qualifying at the range.

P $15,000 settlement on a case involving an Officer who was injured during a training session at Floyd Bennett Field when she was shot by a fellow officer with a simulated round in the back of her head. The Officer suffered a concussion when the protective gear she was wearing offered no protection to the back of her head.

P $30,000 settlement for a Sergeant when received a dog bite from a NYPD canine who possessed vicious propensities.

RMP’S

Improperly situated odometer

P $4,000,000 for Officer seriously injured when his head struck an improperly placed odometer during an RMP accident.

Unpadded computer

P $150,000 for an Officer injured when her knee struck an unpadded computer console during an RMP accident.

No side view mirrors

P $600,000 settlement for Sergeant injured in an RMP accident when the operator of the vehicle, driving without sideview mirrors, lost control of the RMP causing a one-car accident.

No power steering fluid

P $275,000 for an Officer who was injured when the RMP lost its power steering fluid causing the Officer to seriously injure her wrists while making a left hand turn.

Brake failure

P 1.5 million dollar settlement for an Officer injured when the brakes of her RMP locked while responding to an emergency.

P $60,000 settlement on a case involving an Officer who was injured when the brakes of an RMP failed causing a one-car accident.

No rabbit ears

P $15,000 settlement on a case involving Officers who were injured while responding to an accident scene on a highway without having “rabbit ears” in the RMP. The vehicle was rear-ended at a high rate of speed when the motorist failed to see the RMP.

Inadequate tire pressure

P Litigation pending on a case where two Officers were injured when the operator lost control of the RMP in inclement weather due to inadequate tire pressure.

Cracked radiator hose

P $30,000 settlement on a case involving an Officer being injured when he received serious burns when the RMP’s radiator hose cracked.

Defective stop on internal van door

P $92,000 settlement for Officer injured after an internal sliding door slammed shut on Officer’s finger. The stop safety mechanism failed causing the Officer to suffer an injury to his finger.

Carbon Monoxide Leak

P $9,000 each for two Officers treated in the Emergency Room when they were overcome by carbon monoxide while they were sitting in an RMP.

III. DEFECTIVE SIDEWALKS/CURBS

P $125,000 settlement for a Captain injured after tripping on a defective cracked sidewalk.

P $80,000 settlement for an Officer injured after tripping on a defective and raised sidewalk.

P $75,000 settlement for an Officer injured after falling on a broken curb.

P Litigation pending on a case involving an Officer who was severely injured after falling on raised Belgium blocks outside of Van Cortlandt Park.

P $700,000 settlement for Officer injured as a result of falling on a broken curb.

IV. CITY CONDEMNED BUILDING

P$250,000 settlement for an Officer injured after tripping inside building previously condemned and owned by the City. The City failed to properly secure the vacant building.

V. VACANT LOT

P $125,000 settlement for an Officer injured after falling on debris in a City owned vacant lot after it was established the City failed to secure the lot.

VI. CITY COURTHOUSE

P $200,000 settlement for an Officer who fell down an exterior staircase at New York Criminal Court. The fall was attributed to the center hand rail being previously removed.

VII. MEDICAL DISTRICT

P Litigation pending for an Officer severely injured as a result of the negligence of a doctor employed by the Medical District.

VIII. TRANSIT AUTHORITY

P $90,000 settlement for an Officer injured after falling down slippery subway steps. The subway steps had ice and snow on them. The Transit Authority failed to adequately make the staircase safe several hours after the snow had stopped.

P $70,000 settlement for an Officer injured after falling down defective steps leading to the subway. The stairs were in a state of disrepair.

P Litigation pending for an Officer injured after tripping on a broken edge of a subway platform.

P $17,500 settlement for an Officer injured after chasing a perpetrator and falling on a broken and defective subway grate.

P $15,000 settlement in a case involving an Officer injured after a perpetrator he was escorting tripped on a broken step while descending from a outside staircase leading from the “A” train. The Officer who was holding his prisoner was dragged down the steps with the prisoner when the prisoner lost his balance on the defective step.

>> Continued