Injured Seattle Fireman Awarded $13M Following Fall Down Fire Pole Hole
Posted on Oct 23, 2009The fall happened one night when he was working in an unfamiliar fire station. He got up late at night to use the bathroom and went through the wrong door. Mr. Jones fell in the fire pole hole that did not have any guard around it. Another fire fighter had fallen through the same hole in 1976, but the city of Seattle never installed a guard around the hole or on door leading to fire pole.
The jury verdict was double Seattle's last settlement offer before trial, but half of what Mr. Jones had sought in the lawsuit. This is an example of a tragic accident that should never have happened. Seattle is deciding whether to appeal the jury verdict.