How Oklahoma's New Law Offers Helps First Responders Dealing With Trauma

What is Senate Bill 1457?

SB 1457 expands the physical injury limitation exemption as it applies to worker compensation to include law enforcement officers, paid and volunteer firefighters, and emergency medical technicians suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) received while responding to an emergency. 

“This is a huge win for first responders and a huge win for Oklahoma,” said James Biscone, a personal injury attorney in Oklahoma City.

The measure also provides that employers shall be required to pay up to $10,000.00 for the treatment of a responder certified to have PTSD according to the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission. 

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What was the protocol before the law went into effect? 

Senate Bill 1457 went into effect in Oklahoma on January 1, 2025. Before that date, first responders could only get workers' compensation if their mental injury was coupled with a physical injury on the job.

“If you think of a fatality car accident, if you think of a murder scene, these first responders rush to help but if they're not physically injured, there's no recovery for the mental anguish that they've suffered,” said Biscone. “Imagine what a first responder sees over the course of a week or a month or a year or a career, well the stigma is gone, you can talk about those things and it’s okay to claim a mental injury now and it's okay to talk to somebody and get the help that you need.” 

“It allows our first responders to be recognized for the mental anguish that they suffer sometimes on the job,” said Biscone. 

How does this work? 

It will operate just like any other workers' compensation claim and must have a doctor’s approval. 

“If you have a first responder who is claiming to have PTSD, it has to be diagnosed by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist but if they have that, they can go through the process of getting the help that they need,” said Biscone.

What does this mean for first responders in Oklahoma?

“There's been a huge stigma around PTSD over the years but that is slowly being removed, we're seeing that across the country,” said Biscone.

Biscone says this new law will help with the recruitment and retention of first responders.

“Because they know Oklahoma now has their back,” said Biscone. 

He says getting first responders the help they need mentally and physically can help ensure they are going back to work when they are truly prepared.

“To allow them an avenue to get some help to get some treatment, it gets them back to work faster and it also creates a better person, a better law enforcement officer out there,” said Biscone.

To read more about this bill, click here: http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb1457&Session=2400