-
September 9, 2025
Senate Bill 356, signed into law by Governor Josh Shapiro late last year, makes it easier for Pennsylvania’s first responders to get workers compensation benefits for post traumatic stress injuries (PTSI). The new law becomes effective October 29, 2025.Pennsylvania First Responders Face Lower Burden of Proof for Workers' Comp Benefits
The new law eliminates the burden of proving that a post-traumatic stress injury occurred as a result of an abnormal working condition. Now, first responders – like EMS providers, fire fighters, police officers & public safety officers responding to an emergency – need only prove that the PTSI was the result of a qualifying traumatic event, such as:
- An incident resulting in serious bodily injury or death of any person;
- A situation involving minors who have been injured, killed, abused, or exploited;
- An immediate threat to the life of the first responder or another person;
- A mass casualty event; or
- A crime scene investigation.
A licensed psychologist or psychiatrist must diagnose the PTSI. The claim must be filed within 3 years of the diagnosis. Benefits are limited to no more than 104 weeks.
Hill Wallack LLP stands ready to assist Pennsylvania employers in evaluating the facts of each case to determine eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits. For more information on recent developments in Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation laws, please contact Jonathan Meyers, John Marquis or Joanna Dombrowski
