Connecticut General Statutes 31-294i – Municipal firefighters and police officers. Employer presumption of liability for cardiac emergencies
For the purpose of adjudication of claims for payment of benefits under the provisions of this chapter to a uniformed member of a paid municipal fire department or a regular member of a paid municipal police department or constable who began such employment on or after July 1, 1996, any condition or impairment of health caused by a cardiac emergency occurring to such member on or after July 1, 2009, while such member is in training for or engaged in fire duty at the site of an accident or fire, or other public safety operation within the scope of such member’s employment for such member’s municipal employer that results in death or temporary or permanent total or partial disability, shall be presumed to have been suffered in the line of duty and within the scope of such member’s employment, unless the contrary is shown by a preponderance of the evidence, provided such member successfully passed a physical examination on entry into service conducted by a licensed physician, physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse designated by such department which examination failed to reveal any evidence of such condition. For the purposes of this section, “cardiac emergency” means cardiac arrest or myocardial infarction, and “constable” means any municipal law enforcement officer who is authorized to make arrests and has completed Police Officer Standards and Training Council certification pursuant to section 7-294a.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 31-294i
- Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
- Employer: means any person, corporation, limited liability company, firm, partnership, voluntary association, joint stock association, the state and any public corporation within the state using the services of one or more employees for pay, or the legal representative of any such employer, but all contracts of employment between an employer employing persons excluded from the definition of employee and any such employee shall be conclusively presumed to include the following mutual agreements between employer and employee: (A) That the employer may accept and become bound by the provisions of this chapter by immediately complying with section 31-284. See Connecticut General Statutes 31-275
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- in the line of duty: means any action that a police officer is obligated or authorized by law, rule, regulation or written condition of employment service to perform, or for which the police officer or firefighter is compensated by the public entity such officer serves. See Connecticut General Statutes 31-275
- Member: includes all parts of the human body referred to in subsection (b) of section 31-308. See Connecticut General Statutes 31-275
- Physician: includes any person licensed and authorized to practice a healing art, as defined in section 20-1, and licensed under the provisions of chapters 370, 372 and 373 to practice in this state. See Connecticut General Statutes 31-275