- December 20, 2019
What Are the Workers’ Comp Benefits For Police Officers? – Hypertension or Heart Disease
Police officers face the risk of injury and death each day. Most people associate a workers’ comp claim for a police officer with an accidental injury in the line of duty, such as injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident or while apprehending a suspect. However, some police officers develop heart disease related to their jobs. The Maryland Workers’ Compensation Code has special provisions for police officers who develop heart disease or hypertension.
Police officers diagnosed with heart disease or hypertension may be eligible for workers’ comp benefits. The Pinder Plotkin Legal Team provides free case reviews for law enforcement officers who have questions about filing a workers’ comp claim for heart disease.
Presumption of Occupational Disease for Police Officers
Police officers have extremely demanding jobs. They deal with high-stress situations on a regular basis. Because of the demands placed on police officers, lawmakers acknowledged that police officers might develop heart disease as a result of the highly-stressful nature of their jobs. Therefore, lawmakers included a provision in the workers’ comp laws that make heart disease a presumed occupational disease for police officers who meet certain restrictions.
The code states that heart disease is a presumed occupational illness if:
- The police officer suffers from heart disease or hypertension; and,
- The heart disease or hypertension causes the police officer to suffer partial or total disability or death.