Virginia Man Who Lost Hand in Army Wins Suit vs. FBI

A Virginia man who lost his left hand in an Army training accident has won a lawsuit against the FBI claiming he was denied a fair chance to become a special agent.

Thirty-year-old Justin Slaby of Stafford served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He lost his hand when a grenade prematurely detonated.

Slaby, a Wisconsin native, applied to become an FBI agent but said he faced discrimination at the FBI Academy in Quantico because of his prosthetic hand. He said the FBI required proficiency shooting a gun with his left hand when that requirement is not imposed on anyone else.

A federal jury in Alexandria ruled Wednesday in Slaby’s favor and awarded him $75,000 for emotional pain and suffering. Hearings will determine back pay and his status as an agent.