In an article published in FireRescue1 on May 2, 2025, Drew LaFramboise explores a trio of common pitfalls for first responders when pursuing and recovering personal injury damages in a civil lawsuit.
Despite first responders being trained to handle stressful and dangerous situations daily, when they suffer an injury on the job, their paths to recovering damages can be unpredictable. Drew explains that one of the most common snares is the “firefighter’s rule,” in which first responders who are injured in the line of duty may be barred from recovering damages caused by the negligence of someone else. He writes that the policy behind the rule comes from a legal concept called “assumption of risk,” although some states have scaled back the rule or eliminated it altogether, and in the states where it has not been eliminated, there are some exceptions to the rule.
Drew also explains the other two most common obstacles in first responder personal injury claims: workers’ compensation exclusivity and contributory negligence and comparative fault.
Noting that first responders who are injured in the line of duty will likely have many questions about their legal rights, Drew emphasizes that understanding and navigating these scenarios will be critical to a successful recovery.
Read the full article “3 personal injury claim pitfalls all first responders should understand.” (PDF)
