Occupational Diseases and Mental Health Claims – How Exposure Outside the Workplace Constitutes “Employment”
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast with unprecedented flooding and damage. In its’ aftermath, individuals from across the country went to New Orleans to assist with relief efforts. Thirteen years later, Hurricane Katrina’s impact is now being felt in the Virginia Workers’ Compensation community. The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission recently issued an Opinion that concerned a claimant firefighter paramedic who alleged post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as an occupational disease in Munker v. City of Norfolk, JCN VA00001035404 (May 17, 2018).The claimant, while employed as a paramedic for the City of Norfolk, traveled to New Orleans to provide relief...
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