As they were suiting up in their precinct's locker room, Kien Gian's pistol accidentally went off and shot fellow officer Vincenzo Ferriolo in the leg, shattering the guy's femur.
After Ferriolo sued Gian and the City of New York, the New York County Supreme Court ended up throwing the case out.
On appeal, the Appellate Division, First Department, agreed that officers can't recover damages for injuries incurred while performing their duties.
Since it thought Ferriolo's presence in the locker room was in furtherance of his work-related functions, the AD1 concluded that any claim arising therefrom was precluded by law--known as the "firefighter rule."
Was that a shot in the dark?
To view a copy of the Appellate Division's decision, please use this link: Ferriolo v. The City of New York