Two Firefighter Receive $8.1 million in Lawsuit

August 12, 2009

Los Angeles – The city council approved Wednesday the increased payouts to the two firefighters after their appeal on the verdict in 2007 regarding retaliation and discrimination lawsuits filed against the city’s Fire Department.

Los Angeles city council unanimously agreed to grant the appeal and pay additional rates such as the legal fees and interests which accumulated over two years.

One of the complainants, Frank Lima, alleged that he was retaliated against for not easing up the exercises for female employees of the department. He won the case and was originally awarded with $3.75 million which he later appealed.

Steve Bressler, the other complainant, said he was punished for standing up against discrimination of his co-workers. Bressler was then given $1.7 million which will now be around $3.3 million including legal fees and interest which reached to $440,000 since 2007.