Bills propose changes to presumptions, carpal tunnel
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Three bills introduced Monday in the Virginia House of Delegates propose to make changes regarding the compensability of certain conditions in the state.
H.B. 617, sponsored by Del. Elizabeth Guzman, D-District 31, makes carpal tunnel syndrome compensable by removing it from the list of disorders deemed an ordinary disease of life.
The legislation proposes to add a section to Virginia code to treat carpal tunnel syndrome that arises out of and in the course of employment to be treated as an injury by accident for purposes of the Virginia Workers Compensation Act so long as the injuries are reported to the state’s Workers Compensation Commission within two years from the first communication of the repetitive motion disorder by an employee to a physician.
H.B. 679, sponsored by Del. Ronnie Campbell, R-District 24, would add police dispatchers to the list of workers for whom death or disability from hypertension or heart disease is presumed to be caused by their employment.
H.B. 733, sponsored by Del. David Reid, D-District 32, and Del. Dan Helmer, D-District 49, would expand the list of occupational diseases suffered by firefighters and other first responders that are presumed to be compensable to include colon, brain and testicular cancer.
All three bills await referral to a committee.
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