BUFFALO, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - The City of Buffalo is blamed for the deaths of two residents during a blizzard in December 2022.
Plaintiffs Gloria Mawazo and Phyllis E. Jackson brought a lawsuit March 22 in Erie County Supreme Court against the City of Buffalo, Mayor Byron Brown, County of Erie, and County Executive Mark Poloncarz.
The suit alleges negligence in response to the Blizzard of 2022, which resulted in the deaths of Abdul Sharifu and Ledrise N. Curry.
It faults a "travel advisory," which does not prohibit driving. Sharifu died trying to reach the grocery store to buy supplies for a neighbor. With the power out, people in Buffalo were unable to receive warnings from the City, the suit says, adding television and radio notices were not adequate.
Plus, Sharifu spoke limited English, and Buffalo did nothing to communicate the dangers of the storm to him, the suit says. Sharifu was found at 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve outside of his car unconscious in the snow. He died later that night.
Curry suffered an asthma attack on Dec. 26, 2022, but emergency personnel could not reach her in time.
The plaintiffs claim that inadequate warnings and poor preparedness by the defendants led to these fatalities. They are seeking damages for wrongful death, loss of consortium, and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
Brittany Penberthy of Penberthy Law Group represents the plaintiffs.