Governor signs firefighter PTSD comp bill

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday signed into law a bill that clears the way for firefighters suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder to claim a workers compensation injury if their condition results in physical or mental impairment and/or death.

H.B. 324 amends the existing firefighter presumption law in New Mexico, which covers several kinds of cancer and other conditions suffered by firefighters up to 15 years after they leave their job.

The new law states that a firefighter must be diagnosed with PTSD by a physician or psychologist to qualify for benefits.