Former cop, firefighters sue Des Plaines for health care payments

A former police officer and two former firemen filed separate lawsuits Friday against northwest suburban Des Plaines, claiming the city has not paid the premiums for their health insurance plans after they were injured on the job.

Christoper Terrazzinno, Christoper Moran and Russ Olish filed the lawsuits in Cook County Circuit Court against the city of Des Plaines, Des Plaines City Manager Michael Bartholemew and Director of Finance Dorothy Wisniewski.

Terrazino had a finger amputated in 2000 after someone bit it while he was subduing them on the job in 1984, his suit says.

He was granted a line-of-duty pension following retirement in April 2000, but did not need it until November 2015, the suit said. He claims the city has yet to make any payments, in violation of Illinois pension laws.

Moran and Olish both were forced to step down from their firefighter/EMT jobs in September 2015 after Moran suffered a knee injury on the job, and Olish suffered an arm injury and post-surgical pulmonary embolism, their suits say. The city hasn’t paid their health care premiums either, they claim.

A representative from the City of Des Plaines did not respond to a request for comment.

Terrazzino is seeking $1,500 per month in back payments on his premium, while Moran seeks $1,600 monthly payments and Olish $1,200.