The city agreed to settle a lawsuit alleging firefighters fatally injured a 76-year-old man after dropping him while carrying him from his home

PHOENIX — Phoenix will pay $605,000 to settle a wrongful death lawsuit filed after a 76-year-old man allegedly suffered fatal injuries when firefighters dropped him while carrying him out of his home.

The Phoenix City Council unanimously approved the settlement on July 1, more than two years after the man’s death, 12News reported.

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The lawsuit stems from a January 2024 response to Ronald Shuck’s home after he had difficulty standing. Court documents allege firefighters kept Shuck in a rolling office chair instead of moving him to a gurney, then dropped him while carrying him down outdoor steps, causing him to hit his head and back.

Shuck’s son said the fall broke his father’s neck and back, and that he later lost the ability to talk, move or eat. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Shuck’s wife, alleged the firefighters’ negligence caused his death.

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