As of January 1, 2019, a new law has gone into effect that may drastically change the way work-related PTSD claims are handled in Minnesota. For PTSD injuries that occur on or after January 1, 2019, there is now a presumption for first responders that their PTSD is work-related. A first responder’s PTSD still must meet the criteria set forth in the DSM-V and be diagnosed by a doctor of psychology or a medical doctor working in a related field. The covered “first responder” positions include:

On behalf of Meuser Law Office, P.A., we offer our sincere condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Oak Park Heights state prison corrections officer, Joseph Parise. Officer Parise, 37, died September 24^thafter rushing to assist another officer who was being assaulted by an inmate. Parise was one of several officers who responded to a call to break up the assault. Parise, a four-year veteran of the Department of Corrections, suffered a medical emergency and died after helping the colleague.

On behalf of Meuser Law Office, P.A., we extend sincere condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Stillwater state prison corrections officer Joseph B. Gomm. Officer Gomm, 45, was killed by an inmate who is serving a 29-year sentence for second-degree murder, marking the first such death in Minnesota of an on-duty corrections officer.

The day before the assault, Officer Gomm celebrated 16 years on the job and is being remembered by family and co-workers for his kind soul and dedication.

This is the final article in a series of three, explaining a correctional officer’s right to receive Duty Disability benefits following a debilitating, on-the-job injury. It is the perspective of the attorneys at Meuser Law Office that special consideration should be given to all government employees who devote their time to protecting the public, and, as such, they will work tirelessly to ensure injured correctional officers and other public employees are provided with fair access to Duty Disability benefits. Click here if you would like to read the first article in the series or click here if you would like to read the second article in the series.

C. Element 3: Inherent Dangers Specific to a Correctional Officer

The final element in the Duty Disability analysis is whether the performance of a correctional officer’s duties presented inherent dangers specific to the positions covered by the Local Government Correctional Service Retirement Plan. This element consists of two subparts: 1) whether the duty presented inherent dangers, and 2) whether the inherent dangers were specific to the position.