Police officers struggle to get treatment for PTSD
A proposed bill in the Arizona legislature aimed at protecting first responders who are suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD, has caught the attention of the news media.
Unfortunately, the handling of workers’ compensation claims for police officers and firefighters who suffer from PTSD often falls short. Some of the tactics that have been used include: automatically denying all PTSD claims and using biased “Independent” Medical Exams or IMEs as a way to cut off workers’ compensation claims.
The bill in the Arizona legislature is aimed at forcing municipalities, including the City of Phoenix and City of Mesa, to accept claims in order to ensure that first responders get the treatment that they need.
Doyle LLP has been retained by officers in the City of Phoenix and City of Mesa who have had their PTSD claims denied. These cases, which are pending in Maricopa County Superior Court, allege that the City of Phoenix, through its claims adjusters at York Risk Management Services, and the City of Mesa have denied police officer PTSD claims in bad faith.
If you are a first responder, such as a police officer for firefighter, and have suffered from PTSD in the line of duty, please contact Doyle LLP for an evaluation of the merits of your claim.