First Responders Face High Denials in Workers Comp Claims

0:00Fort Worth police and firefighters top the list for on-the-job injuries among city workers, but they also see the most workers' compensation claim, denials. Records from January 1, 2024 through March 17, 2026 show 2,402 claims filed by all. City employees, more than half 1,399 came from police and firefighters. Out of 384 total denials, 341 hit those first responders. Other departments filed far fewer claims, like 131 from parks and community services, with denial rates around 5%, or lower. Police and firefighters face nearly a quarter of their claims rejected, compared to single digits elsewhere. Union leaders point to presumptive coverage laws for first responders, which include things like certain cancers, heart issues, and post-traumatic. Stress. The city often denies these at first because of a 60-day approval window that's too short to verify.

1:01They also blame cost-saving tactics and rules, pushing workers to use only approved providers, even when specialists aren't available in network. Examples include firefighters hurt and roof collapses, and officers injured making arrests, who waited months for out-of-network care. A city council member noted these aren't typical injuries, and call for better access to experts to get responders back to full strength. The city's network lists about 2,300 providers in Taren County, but duplicates and errors dropped that to around 600, accurate ones. Officials say they offer plenty of options and partner for specialties when needed, leaving questions about how well the system supports those on the front lines. Dallas News today, powered by AI bringing you what matters. I'm Corey with The Story.