CHICAGO — Nine Chicago firefighters have been awarded $445,000 in damages for permanent hearing loss reportedly due to “unreasonably dangerous sirens.”
Attorney Jordan Margolis filed a suit against Federal Signal in Ill. in 1999 that involved 700 firefighters and now has firefighters from over 16 states and almost 200 fire departments.
“Hopefully, the Appellate Court’s salient opinion will speed the litigation process towards ultimate resolution by trials or settlement for the remaining 2,300 firefighter clients,” Margolis said in a release.
A doctor said that Chicago firefighters were routinely exposed to 109.8 decibels, about 556% of the “permissible dose of acceptable noise exposure.”
Federal Signal reached a settlement previously with more than 1,100 firefighters after three years of litigation over claims of hearing loss.
The company had to make a payment of $3.8 million for the settlement.