- A firefighter's careless discharge is not an unintentional incident during work hours.
During the chaotic incident in Trier, a seasoned firefighter wasn't acknowledged as having an on-duty accident. This was the verdict from the Trier Administrative Court after they dismissed his case. The firefighter brought forward the lawsuit due to the severe psychological harm he experienced following the incident. On December 1, 2020, a motorist in an SUV recklessly drove through a bustling pedestrian zone, instantly claiming five lives and leaving many others injured.
The court argued that the firefighter had existing psychological issues due to past experiences and traumas. An additional everyday stress factor also played a role in his current psychological condition. The incident following the rampage merely served as the "final straw that tipped the camel over," as the judges put it (Case No. 7 K 185/24.TR).
Post-incident, as per the reports, the man and his colleague drove through nearby city center stores as part of their psychological support services. They conducted checks to see if anyone was in shock. Fortunately, they found no one needing assistance, which marked the end of their deployment.
The firefighter's legal team argued that the 'The following is added:' dismissal of his case overlooked the impact of the recent incident. After evaluating all evidence, the court decided to include the impact of the Trier incident as an aggravating factor in the firefighter's existing psychological condition.
