Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Workers’ compensation law helps first responders

On behalf of Godwin and Rubin posted in Workers’ Compensation on Monday, October 15, 2018.

First responders risk their lives every day to protect the citizens of California. Even when first responders are far away from home, if confronted with danger, they will rush in to help. Injury can happen at any time, but this does not deter them from performing daring rescues in an attempt to save the lives of others. They have done this while out of state and not knowing if they were eligible for workers’ compensation.

A mass shooting occurred in Las Vegas in October of 2017. Several off-duty first responders were in the crowd that was attacked. They reacted as they were trained to and got many people to safety. Some of the first responders were injured in the process of attempting to save other people’s lives.

Governor Jerry Brown recently signed a bill, Assembly Bill 1749, into law. The bill states that peace officers can file for workers’ compensation if they are injured or die in the line of duty while they are out of state. The bill was inspired by the mass shooting that occurred in Las Vegas.

California first responders deserve protection while doing their jobs regardless of where they are located. If a first responder has been injured while in the line of duty, in California or elsewhere, he or she may benefit from seeking the counsel of a workers’ compensation attorney. An experienced lawyer can review the circumstances of the event that happened and may be able to advise the client of one’s available rights under the new law.