The administrator of the estate of a woman who was initially reported to have fallen, but who was later alleged to have been struck by a vehicle, has petitioned Suffolk County Supreme Court for permission to serve a late Notice of Claim against the Farmingville Fire District, the Farmingville Fire Department, the fire chief, and the district’s fire commissioners.

According to court filings, Theresa J. Vazquez was injured on April 9, 2025, while attending an event at the Farmingdale Fire Department. The estate contends that no police accident report was generated because it was allegedly reported that Vazquez had fallen without being struck by a vehicle. However, her attorneys characterize the incident as a pedestrian knockdown incident involving a vehicle operated by a member of the Farmingville Fire Department. The filings allege that Vazquez suffered serious injuries after being struck by the vehicle and knocked to the ground.

Attorneys for Vazquez state that they conducted an investigation and attempted to obtain security video from the Farmingdale Fire Department. According to the filings, the video was not obtained until September 12, 2025, after the period for filing a notice of claim had expired.

The petition alleges that despite portions of the video having been redacted, the footage showed Vazquez being struck by a moving vehicle operated by a member of the Farmingville Fire Department and knocked to the ground.

After obtaining the video, Vazquez filed a petition in October 2025 seeking leave under New York General Municipal Law §50-e(5) to serve a late notice of claim outside the normal 90-day period. The document is attached below. Before that application could be decided, however, Vazquez died on October 14, 2025.

The pending proceeding was subsequently stayed while efforts were made to appoint an estate representative. Erica Christensen, Vazquez’s daughter, was appointed administrator of the estate by the Suffolk County Surrogate’s Court on February 25, 2026.

The newly filed petition asks the court to substitute Christensen as petitioner in place of Vazquez, lift the stay that resulted from Vazquez’s death, and permit the original late-notice-of-claim proceeding to move forward.

The filings also explain that during the period following Vazquez’s death, the associate attorney who had been handling the matter left the law firm and was expected to take the case with him. According to the attorney’s affirmation, communication difficulties with the departing lawyer contributed to additional delay in pursuing the matter.

The estate argues that the respondents have not been prejudiced by the delay because the original petition seeking leave to serve a late notice of claim was served in October 2025. The filing further notes that counsel for the respondents appeared in the original proceeding in November 2025.

The estate is asking the court to allow the respondents to submit any opposition to the original petition and then issue an expedited ruling on whether a late notice of claim may be served so that any subsequent action can be commenced before applicable limitations periods expire.

The matter is pending in Suffolk County Supreme Court. Here are the relevant court documents.