Scottsdale Family Files $9 Million Claim Against City After Their Son was Crushed by a Fire Station Door

An Arizona family recently filed a claim against the City of Scottsdale after their son was killed after being “crushed by an accordion-style bay door at a Scottsdale fire station,” according to AZ Central. It was back in February when the family initially went to the fire station for a tour being given by the firefighters working at the station. Dan and Courtney Reiss, parents of the 16-month-old who was killed, had taken their son, Joseph “Joey” Reiss to the tour where his uncle worked as a firefighter.
The tour appeared to be running smoothly, that is, until one of the electronic doors began to close, and baby Reiss happened to be standing in its path. At the time, Capt. M.D. Clark was giving out another tour to a mother and her children when he heard screaming and someone yelling, “No, no, no, no.” Another firefighter, David Bruns, heard a “blood-curdling scream” coming from Mrs. Reiss and he ran from the kitchen to find the mother pointing to her son who was trapped between the folding door.
He quickly ran toward the door and attempted to pry it open before the electronic door stopped but the door timed out and then closed on the 16-month-old. Clark ran to push a button to open the door back up as Bruns continued to try and pry it open. Apparently, the fire stations doors close automatically whenever a fire truck departs from the facility. The firefighters working at the station told police that the doors are on a timer and they will either close within seconds or minutes after a truck exits the building. Unfortunately, despite their efforts to save the child, it was later determined that the baby had died from the injuries he sustained to his skull and brain.
 

Reiss Family Seeks $9 Million in Damages for the Wrongful Death of Their Son

 
Although the police report indicated that there was no criminal wrongdoing and that this was just a bad accident, the family along with their Scottsdale accident attorneys, believe more could have been done to prevent this accident from occurring. They believe that the city could have prevented the death of their son “by having employees properly trained on safety features of the door, displaying warning signs about the dangers of automatic doors and having an audible or visual warning before the automatic doors begin to close.”
Rather than file their suit in court, they filed a claim first with the city in an attempt to collect compensation for the emotional and financial struggling they are now experiencing as a result of losing their son. The parents of the 16-month-old sent a video along with their claim to the city describing what life is now like without their child. In the video, Mrs. Reiss said she misses doing all of the basic day to day things for her son like feeding him, dressing him, and “smelling his hair after washing it with lavender soap.” The couple now struggles to “find hope and joy” again. They are both also attending counseling and have missed several days from work as they continue to struggle each and every day, according to the claim.
After the city received the notice, however, a spokeswoman, Kelly Corsette, issued a statement regarding the claim which read, “The city of Scottsdale remains deeply sympathetic for the Reiss family’s tragic loss. As for the notice of claim, the city disputes a number of the facts it contains and will vigorously defend the matter.”

Generally, when a claim is filed against any city, it often takes time to settle. That is why anyone who believes a city worker or other entity supported by the city is responsible for the injuries they sustained or the death of a loved one file their claim immediately with the help of a Scottsdale, AZ accident attorney. Aside from filing the initial paperwork, you will also need to collect evidence that proves the city is responsible for your pain and suffering.
 
Therefore, if you believe the city of Scottsdale is responsible for damages or injuries you or someone else sustained, contact USAttorneys.com today and let us point you in the right direction for obtaining legal aid.