On Dec. 7, 2009, New York State Police narcotics investigator Richard O’Brien fell off a ladder while fixing his mother’s roof. He lived for only three more hours after the fall — but in that brief time, fellow troopers tried to have him retired on disability. Now, Stephanie O’Brien, his widow, is fighting in court, saying a faulty fax machine and a measly seven minutes mean she and the couple’s daughter would get a $342,000 death payout — rather than lifetime benefits that could total in the millions. The case is the first involving an officer filing for a disability...