Nebraska's Truck Crash Lawyer

NEBRASKA BILL SUPPORTS WORKERS’ COMPENSATION FOR FIRST RESPONDERS

On Behalf of | Jan 7, 2021 | Firm News

If you work as a first responder, then you know the mental toll the job can take on you. While it certainly can be a physically demanding job at times and you have the ability to get workers’ compensation for physical injuries, the system seems to ignore the mental aspects. At least, it did until now.

According to Business Insurance, a new bill in Nebraska will give you a chance to seek workers’ compensation for mental illness without having restrictions you previously would need to overcome.

PREVIOUS RULES

Before the new bill, first responders could not qualify for worker’s compensation benefits for mental health issues alone. They had to also have an accompanying physical ailment. This new bill helps ensure that the system recognizes mental illness in the same way it does physical illness.

PROVE A LINK

The bill does require a medical professional to determine there is a link between your job and your mental illness. While this may seem simple, there are some requirements.

You need to have had a mental health check-up prior to beginning your job, and you need to be able to prove that you did not have the mental condition prior to working as a first responder. You also must complete resilience training every year, which the bill does require the state to reimburse or pay for.

If you do all of that, you then need a mental health professional to offer proof that your mental condition occurred due to your job so that workers’ compensation can clearly see the link between the two and discount other possible causes.

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