Ex-Detective Sues New Lenox Over Pension

NEW LENOX, IL - A former New Lenox Police Department detective has retained a law firm in Palatine to sue the village of New Lenox regarding a financial dispute concerning his retirement pension. Paul Griffin filed the lawsuit at the Will County Courthouse this month against his former long-time employer. He hired the Law Offices of Thomas Duda to represent him.

According to their lawsuit, Griffin was hired as a patrol officer by New Lenox on Dec. 18, 2002 at the age of 37. He was later promoted to detective.

On Sept. 7, 2016, Griffin became injured getting into his unmarked squad car "leaving a subpoenaed appearance assignment to testify before the grand jury at the Will County Annex Court Building in Joliet ... Plaintiff Griffin suffered a catastrophic injury to his left lower extremity in the course of providing subpoenaed testimony for the grand jury as part of his written job description as a police officer and detective for the village," his lawsuit contends.

In time, New Lenox's Police Pension Board selected three licensed doctors to perform independent evaluations of Griffin in regard to his disability claim. The doctors were: Dr. Leon Huddleston, Dr. Junaid Makda and Dr. Daniel Samo.

"All three physicians found the plaintiff to be permanently disabled as a result of the injury he sustained on Sept. 7, 2016," Griffin's attorney noted.

Then, six months ago, on June 20, medical evidence was presented to New Lenox's pension board for a hearing. Finally, on Oct. 22, the pension board voted to turn down Griffin's line-of-duty disability pension, "but granted (Griffin's) application for a not-on-duty disability pension effective the date ... (Griffin) was removed from the municipality's payroll," the lawsuit states.

Griffin and his lawyer have asked a Will County judge to conduct an administrative review of the disability pension dispute "and reverse the written decision of the pension board."

The lawsuit contends that the disability benefit awarded to detective Griffin was "at a substantially lower rate of payment, which over the lifetime of .... (Griffin) will be a significant sum of money."

The new Will County lawsuit has been given a court date of March 25.

File image via John Ferak/New Lenox Patch Editor