76-year-old being carried down stairs in ‘desk chair’ with no armrests gets accidentally dropped on his head by firefighters, leading to vegetative state and his death: Lawsuit

The City of Phoenix has agreed to pay $605,000 to settle a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from the death of 76-year-old Ronald Shuck, whose family alleged that firefighters dropped him while attempting to carry him down the stairs of his home in a rolling office chair instead of using a proper medical transport device. The incident, which occurred in January 2024, allegedly left Shuck with catastrophic spinal injuries that ultimately led to his death after weeks in a vegetative state. The settlement was unanimously approved by the Phoenix City Council during its July 1, 2026 meeting.

Emergency Call Turned Into a Tragic Incident

Ronald Shuck Needed Assistance After Becoming Unable to Stand

According to the wrongful death complaint, the incident began on January 5, 2024, when Ronald Shuck found himself unable to stand up from the toilet inside his trailer home in Phoenix, Arizona. Concerned about his condition, his wife called 911 requesting emergency medical assistance.

Phoenix firefighters arrived at the residence to evaluate Shuck. Court documents state that responders initially placed him into a rolling office or desk chair equipped with wheels in order to check his vital signs. After evaluating him, firefighters reportedly determined that he should be transported by ambulance to a hospital for further examination.

Lawsuit Claims Firefighters Chose an Office Chair Instead of Proper Equipment

Rather than transferring Shuck to a gurney or another approved patient transport device after the ambulance arrived, the lawsuit alleges that four firefighters attempted to carry him while he remained seated in the same rolling office chair.

According to the complaint, the chair had rollers and lacked armrests or safety restraints. The firefighters allegedly lifted the chair and attempted to carry Shuck from the porch of his trailer home down four exterior concrete steps leading to the ground. The lawsuit contends that this method of transport was unsafe and violated accepted standards for patient handling.

The Alleged Fall

Ronald Shuck Was Reportedly Facing Backward During the Descent

The complaint alleges that Ronald Shuck was facing backward while firefighters descended the stairs carrying the office chair. During the maneuver, they allegedly lost control of the chair.

As a result, Shuck reportedly fell backward out of the chair, striking his head and upper back against the concrete stairs before hitting the cement ground below. His wife allegedly witnessed the entire incident unfold. According to the lawsuit, Shuck immediately complained of severe pain in both his head and back following the fall.

Family Says the Fall Caused Devastating Injuries

The lawsuit alleges that the fall caused catastrophic injuries, including fractures to Ronald Shuck’s neck and back. He was transported to the hospital after the incident, where medical personnel diagnosed injuries that the family claims were directly caused by the fall.

His son, Ryan Shuck, later stated that his father suffered broken vertebrae in both his neck and back and that his physical condition rapidly deteriorated during his hospitalization.

Condition Rapidly Worsened After Hospitalization

Family Says Ronald Shuck Lost the Ability to Move, Speak and Eat

According to Ryan Shuck, his father’s health declined dramatically after the incident. The injuries allegedly left Ronald Shuck unable to walk and eventually unable to move, speak, eat or drink on his own.

The lawsuit states that he entered a vegetative state as his condition continued to worsen. His family described watching his steady decline over the weeks following the accident as emotionally devastating.

Ronald Shuck Died Weeks Later

Ronald Shuck died on January 23, 2024, just over two weeks after the alleged fall.

The wrongful death lawsuit maintains that the injuries sustained during the failed transport directly caused the medical complications that resulted in his death.

Allegations Contained in the Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Family Accused Firefighters of Gross Negligence

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Ronald Shuck’s wife in 2024, alleges that Phoenix firefighters were improperly trained and acted with gross negligence while attempting to move the elderly patient.

According to the complaint, firefighters “recklessly created an unsafe condition” by choosing to carry Shuck in a rolling office chair rather than using a gurney or another properly secured patient transport device equipped with restraints.

The complaint further argues that firefighters either knew or should have known that their chosen method posed a dangerous risk of serious injury. It also alleges they failed to provide Ronald Shuck with a safe transfer and failed to take reasonable steps to ensure his medical needs were safely met.

Complaint Says Proper Equipment Was Available

The lawsuit specifically contends that Shuck should have been transported using a gurney or another approved patient transport device with straps and restraints, particularly because he was unable to walk independently.

The family’s legal filing argues that leaving him in a rolling office chair while carrying him down exterior stairs created an unnecessary and avoidable hazard.

Son Questions Firefighters’ Decision

Ryan Shuck Says His Father Should Never Have Been Moved in the Chair

Ryan Shuck publicly questioned why firefighters chose to use what he described as a “cheap roller chair with no armrests” instead of proper emergency medical equipment.

He noted that his father was a large man and expressed disbelief that trained emergency responders would attempt to transport him in such a manner.

Ryan also described the emotional toll of witnessing his father’s final weeks, saying that watching him lose the ability to move, communicate, eat and eventually take his last breath was the hardest experience of his life. He said someone should be held accountable for what happened.

City of Phoenix Approves Settlement

Phoenix City Council Unanimously Authorized Payment

Rather than continue litigation, the City of Phoenix agreed to resolve the lawsuit through a $605,000 settlement.

The Phoenix City Council unanimously approved the agreement during its July 1, 2026 meeting. The settlement resolves the wrongful death claims brought by Ronald Shuck’s wife but does not constitute an admission of liability by the city.

Family Response Following the Settlement

Ryan Shuck told local media that he was not personally involved in the settlement negotiations. Other members of the family, as well as the family’s attorney, did not publicly comment following the approval of the settlement. The City of Phoenix also did not publicly respond to requests for comment regarding the allegations after news of the settlement became public.

Case Highlights Concerns Over Emergency Patient Transport

The lawsuit has drawn significant public attention because it questions whether established emergency medical transport procedures were followed during Ronald Shuck’s rescue. The family’s allegations center on the decision to use a rolling office chair instead of specialized patient transport equipment while navigating exterior stairs, a choice they argue resulted in fatal consequences.

Although the legal dispute has now been resolved through a financial settlement, Ronald Shuck’s family maintains that his death was preventable and was caused by negligent patient handling during what should have been a routine emergency medical response.