Papillion firefighter wins case for mental injury coverage in first test of Nebraska law

https://omaha.com/news/state-regional/crime-courts/papillion-firefighter-wins-case-for-mental-injury-coverage-in-first-test-of-nebraska-law/article_b58a455a-1920-11ef-8340-33e6abd7df4f.html

Martha Stoddard 1 min ago

LINCOLN — A judge has ruled that a former Papillion firefighter who suffered mental trauma while responding to a particularly horrific suicide attempt can get workers’ compensation benefits.

In a first-of-its-kind decision, the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Court found for Timothy Gosch and ordered the City of Papillion to pay past and future medical expenses related to the trauma and to provide permanent partial disability payments.

The decision, released this month, was based on a 2010 state law allowing police, firefighters and emergency medical workers to get workers’ compensation for mental injuries and mental illness caused by “extraordinary and unusual” events occurring in the line of duty.

Previous state law allowed compensation only for physical injuries, such as a gunshot wound or broken bone suffered on the job.

FULL story at link.