More struggles for benefits for the death of the first answer, a state program as part of legislative and legal headlights

The state program that pays death benefits for first aid persons who died on duty is in the spotlight, because legal and legislative strategies are aimed at changing it.

On Wednesday morning, the Court of Appeal in Minnesota considered arguments regarding the decision to reject the family claim. And last week 5 eyebuilding on the provisions on regulations This can change the state law surrounding the program.

Legal company Meuser, Yackley & Rowland He says he represents most of the rejected cases that are canceled.

“At the moment we see claims of cancer, suicide claims, heart claims, claims for serious injuries that lead to death, all were refused. And I don’t know why – said Daniel Harrison, a lawyer from Meuser, Yackley & Rowland. “The statute was created for some reason; These families really should get this benefit.

“Currently, there are more than a dozen cases that are at some stage of this process in which families will have to fight for benefit, instead of simply admitting them,” added Harrison.

Minnesota The death allowance program for a public security officer Provides one -off payment for fallen families. The eligibility is determined State lawIN And this is supervised by the Department of Public Security in Minnesota (DPS).

The state statute saw changes because the legislation was developed by senator Jeff Howe (R-rockville) after learning about one of these refusals.

“We deal with these families,” said Senator Howe 5 Eyewitness News at the beginning of this month.

The changes would turn to families who lost their loved ones who died at Covid-19 while working as the first respondent, and more specifically the family of assistant to the head of the fire brigade Hopkins James Scanlon, whose benefits have recently been rejected.

Dream. Howe says that Scanlon died in 2022 as a result of a heart attack, which suffered only a few hours after the conversation-but says that his part-time status and this call being a false alarm was partly guilty of denial.

The DPS Commissioner, Bob Jacobson, supervises the program, also at the beginning of this month he told 5 eye news that heavy decisions are heavy for him. And that he was part of the conversations in Capitol to shape changes in law.

“I think you can make some changes that would be beneficial,” said Commissioner Jacobson.

The legislation will soon be submitted, and howe is sure that he will have support for a two-party-like the argument of the case in the Court of Appeal, the judges have several months to share their opinion.