Labor & Employment Law
Mass. Judge Sues Over Injury on Courthouse Steps
Posted Jan 17, 2008, 05:43 pm CST
By Martha Neil
Judges in Massachusetts don't qualify for workers' compensation. So, after Paul Chernoff fell on some jagged steps at the Norfolk Superior Courthouse in Dedham and fractured his knee, the jurist eventually decided he had no choice but to sue to get someone to take responsibility for his injuries.
The judge, who is approximately 70 years old, expects to retire soon. So he is concerned about who will pay for future medical care he may need, especially if he develops arthritis or needs a knee replacement, reports the Boston Globe. At this point, both the state and the county are disclaiming responsibility.
"It's never going to be completely healed," says Chernoff's attorney, Leonard Kesten, of his client's knee. "It's the future ramification he's worried about."
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