In many cases, injured workers are able to receive the workers’ compensation benefits they deserve without any hassle. However, there are situations in which those who should receive benefits are denied for one reason or the next.
Many of our Maryland readers are familiar with the roadways of Pennsylvania, which accommodate millions of drivers on a daily basis.
On November 29, 2006, a Pennsylvania state trooper killed a woman who ran in front of his police car on Interstate 81. The trooper was not at fault for the accident, and he was physically unharmed. However, he claims he was psychologically disabled after killing the 28-year-old woman in East Pennsboro Township.
The officer did his best to revive the woman at the scene, despite the fact that he also had to slow down oncoming traffic to ensure that the both of them were not ran over.
The Pennsylvania Workers Compensation Appeal Board and Commonwealth Court both originally ruled that the officer was not eligible to receive any benefits. Fortunately, the state Supreme Court overruled this to ensure that he receives workers’ compensation disability benefits moving forward.
The state police noted that even though the officer went through a traumatic experience, it was part of the working conditions that somebody in this field could expect to face. As a result of his appeal, though, the Supreme Court found that his experience did not fit into the expected dangers of working as a police officer. Due to the “highly unusual and singular nature” of the incident, the court ruled that he is eligible for the benefits.
Law enforcement officials put their life on the line everyday to protect others. In this case, a police officer was traveling on the roadway when an unexpected occurrence happened. It is good to see the Supreme Court siding with the man, ensuring that he receives workers’ compensation benefits in the future.
Source: pennlive.com, “Supreme Court orders workers compensation benefits for state trooper involved in traumatic fatal crash on I-81” Matt Miller, Nov. 04, 2013