Injured EMT/Paramedic

Westchester County Cop Injured in Crash by Woman Evading Car Stop with Infant in Her Car

Published on: February 14, 2021 | By Robert "Bobby" O'Hare

A Westchester County Cop was injured in the line of duty during a car chase after a fellow officer tried to pull over a driver who was operating a vehicle with a temporary license plate hidden under a dark tinted cover and having heavily tinted windows. In our view, the injured officer certainly has claims for his line of duty injuries under both New York’s General Municipal Law § 205-e and New York’s General Obligations Law § 11-106 and has a right to sue.

The chase started around 1909 hours on Wednesday, February 10, 2021, when a first officer tried to pull over the vehicle, a Nissan Maxima, on the Hutchinson River Parkway in New Rochelle. The vehicle, operated by a 20-year old woman, fled the car stop traveling northbound on the Hutch. Other officers joined in the chase, including the New York State Police and the Westchester County PD’s aviation unit. With PD vehicles following, the Nissan Maxima headed onto Route I-684 northbound where its escape was thwarted by heavy traffic. As the County PD units and State Police closed in, the driver tried to force one marked County PD cruiser off the road. The officer in that car avoided a crash by driving onto the left shoulder of the roadway. As the Nissan Maxima moved from the center lane into the right lane, it struck another County PD cruiser. The Nissan Maxima stopped when it crashed into a snowbank in Lewisboro. Police were surprised to find an 8-month old infant in the back seat of the car. The woman was taken into custody by County PD. Following evaluation by Northern Westchester Hospital Center, the child was released to its family, and child Protective Services was notified. It is unknown why the woman driver fled the police car stop.

The County PD officer operating the cruiser that was struck by the Nissan Maxima sustained injuries.

Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act Reauthorized; Victims Compensation Fund Renewed

Published on: January 8, 2016 | By Robert "Bobby" O'Hare

As part of the Year-End Tax and Spending Bill, Congress renewed and extended the Zadroga Act for the next 75 years. It essentially makes the program permanent. In doing so, Congress has provided a combined $8.1 billion for the program, and fully-funded, for the next five years, the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund. The president signed the bill into law on December 18^th.

Among other things, the WTC Heath Program will continue to provide vital health care and medical monitoring for 9/11 related illnesses for first responders and survivors. First responders and survivors who have moved out of the NYC metropolitan area will continue to receive necessary health care and medical monitoring. NYC will continue to match up to 10% of the cost associated with the program. Research into diagnosing and treating 9/11 related illness will continue as well.

The September 11^th Victim Compensation Fund which was set to close in October 2016 will continue to provide needed compensation to first responders, survivors, and surviving families. This fund has paid out over $1.44 billion to those who were injured or killed in the line of duty or have fallen in to various cancers and medical conditions. The fund is expecting more claims as delayed onset of various cancers related to 9/11 exposure manifest themselves in the coming years.

Federal Death Benefit for Fallen Officers, Firefighters, and First Responders Increased to $339,310 for 2015

Published on: February 22, 2015 | By Robert "Bobby" O'Hare

The federal death benefit under the Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) Program for our heroes who die or are killed in the line of duty death has been increased to $339,310 for 2015 (including those deaths occurring on or after October 1, 2014). PSOB programs provide death and education benefits to survivors of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders, as well as disability benefits to those catastrophically injured in the line of duty.

Line of duty death benefits are payable to eligible survivors (including spouses, domestic partners, children, or parents). Deaths from heart attacks and strokes are presumed to have occurred in the line of duty under the expanded Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Act. Spouses and children of fallen public safety officers are also eligible for financial support for college and higher education costs. Additionally, a disability benefit is payable to public safety officers injured in the line of duty and permanently prevented from performing any gainful work in the future.

You can access additional information concerning the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Public Safety Officer Benefits Programs by clicking here: https://www.psob.gov