On January 1st of this year a set of new laws went into effect in the state of Connecticut. While many of these laws were important to understand so you can know your rights and the protections you may now have under the law, there was one in particular that was important to understand. The new law, passed by the Connecticut general assembly, allows for post-traumatic stress injuries suffered by eligible first responders to be covered by a Connecticut workers’ compensation claim.
First it is important to identify who are first responders. According to the new law the list includes the following; police officers, fire fighters, emergency medical providers, employees of the Connecticut Department of Corrections, telecommunicators or health care providers. If your job is covered on this list, you may be eligible to have a post-traumatic stress injury covered as part of your claim.
To be eligible for this compensation an eligible individual must experience the traumatic incident while “in the line of duty.” Being in the line of duty is defined as “any action that an eligible individual is obligated or authorized by law, rule, regulation or written condition of employment service to perform, or for which the eligible individual is compensated by the public entity such individual serves, except that, in the case of a volunteer firefighter, such action or service constitutes fire duties, as defined in subsection (b) of section 7-314b” This somewhat narrow definition must be met in order for the eligible individual to claim post-traumatic stress injuries as part of their workers’ compensation claim.
Not all incidents fall under this law, in fact there are very specific incidents that may meet the requirements in the law. In the law, these incidents are defined as “qualifying events” and may include the following;
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Contact with a deceased minor
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Being a witness to the death of any individual
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Treating an individual who then subsequently dies before or after being admitted to the hospital
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Bearing witness to a traumatic physical injury that results in the loss of a vital body part.
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A series of events relating to the death or illness of anyone who is experiencing a battle with COVID-19
These events are also only considered if they occurred on or after July 1st, 2019 and in the line of duty at the time. There are other qualifying events which you can read about in the full text of the law which you can review here.
If you are a first responder, as outlined by the new law and you experience any one of the qualifying events also spelled out in the law you may be eligible to file for a Connecticut workers’ compensation claim. As in all worker’s compensation situations you should immediately notify your supervisor that you are experiencing a post traumatic stress injury so proper documentation can be completed and the process of getting you compensated for your injuries can commence.
Being injured on the job, especially as it relates to post traumatic stress injuries can be quite complex and may need you to connect with a board certified attorney who understands the new law thoroughly. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you on protecting your long-term interests.
