May 13, 2026
The Pennsylvania Legislature’s adoption of revised 77 P.S. §415(1) (§301(g)), which applies to workers’ compensation claims filed after October 29, 2025, significantly changes how post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) claims by first responders are evaluated.
The Prior Standard
Before this legislative change, police officers, firefighters, and other first responders were required to prove the existence of “abnormal working conditions” in order to recover workers’ compensation benefits for mental stimulus injuries resulting in PTSD.
This requirement often presented a significant hurdle. Even when a first responder was exposed to a traumatic event and later diagnosed with PTSD, benefits were not guaranteed. The claimant had to demonstrate that the traumatic event was outside the type of events normally encountered in the course of the job.
Whether an event qualified as an abnormal working condition frequently depended on the specific facts of the case and the interpretation of the workers’ compensation judge, making outcomes unpredictable.
The New Law
Section 415(1–2) fundamentally changes this analysis. The statute provides:
“A claim for a post-traumatic stress injury suffered by a first responder shall establish that the injury was the result of the individual undergoing a qualifying traumatic event and was sustained in the course and scope of the individual’s employment as a first responder. A post-traumatic stress injury suffered by a first responder shall not be required to be the result of an abnormal working condition to be a compensable injury under this act.”
The statute further provides that:
“Workers’ compensation benefits for a post-traumatic stress injury suffered by an individual under paragraph (1) shall be available during the period of the post-traumatic stress injury, but not for a period of more than one hundred four weeks.”
What Is a “Qualifying Traumatic Event”?
The key question under the revised statute is what constitutes a “qualifying traumatic event.”
The legislative intent appears clear: to eliminate the abnormal working conditions doctrine for PTSD claims brought by first responders. As a result, courts and workers’ compensation judges will no longer evaluate whether the traumatic event was something a first responder would normally encounter during the course of their duties.
Instead, the analysis focuses on whether:
- The traumatic event occurred in the course and scope of employment, and
- Medical evidence establishes that the event caused post-traumatic stress disorder.
In other words, how frequently such events occur in the profession is no longer a determining factor in establishing compensability.
Practical Impact
Under the revised law, a claimant must still present competent medical evidence establishing that the qualifying traumatic event caused PTSD. However, first responders are no longer required to prove that the event constituted an abnormal working condition.
This change represents a significant shift in Pennsylvania workers’ compensation law and will likely make it easier for first responders to obtain benefits for PTSD-related claims.
If you would like more information or need assistance with Workers’ Compensation matters, please contact Bret R. Goldstein at bgoldstein@regerlaw.com or 215-495-6500.