Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed Senate Bill 913 into law, making PTSD a compensable injury – without the need for accompanying physical injury – for all workers, regardless of injury, if they experience a qualifying traumatic event on the job.
While there has been a national movement to provide PTSD coverage without accompanying physical injury to first responders who experience traumatic events on the job, there has been less movement for workers outside this unique population.
Though some states’ workers’ comp laws have been written or interpreted to settle the issue of providing coverage for PTSD when no physical injury is present, the question of compensability is still uncertain in most states, and the passage of this law could indicate that more states may soon take efforts to clarify compensability via the passage of additional laws.
According to the bill text, PTSD will be compensable if a mental health professional examines the individual and diagnoses PTSD to be a direct result of a qualifying event.
Qualifying events include:
- Viewing a deceased minor
- Witnessing the death of a person or an incident involving the death of a person
- Witnessing an injury to a person who subsequently dies before or upon admission at a hospital as a result of the injury and not as a result of any other intervening causes
- Has physical contact with and treats an injured person who subsequently dies before or upon admission at a hospital as a result of the injury and not as a result of any other intervening cause
- Carrying an injured person who subsequently dies before or upon admission at a hospital as a result of the injury and not as a result of any other intervening cause
- Witnessing a traumatic physical injury that results in the loss of a vital body part or a vital body function that results in permanent disfigurement of the victim
This law goes into effect on January 1st, 2024.
