The widow of a retired FDNY lieutenant has filed suit challenging the New York City Fire Pension Fund’s refusal to treat her husband’s death as a World Trade Center line-of-duty death.
Aline Ward filed an Article 78 petition in New York County Supreme Court naming the New York City Fire Pension Fund, its Board of Trustees, Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore, and the City of New York as respondents. She is seeking accidental-death benefits based on the World Trade Center presumption contained in New York City Administrative Code § 13-353.1.
Lieutenant Patrick Ward participated in the rescue and recovery operations following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. According to the petition, Lieutenant Ward worked at the World Trade Center site on September 11 and during the days that followed. He returned for recovery work on November 23 and December 14, 2001, and worked at the Fresh Kills Landfill on January 15, 2002…