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Workers’ Comp Benefits for Volunteer Firefighters and Ambulance Workers

Volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers regularly put their own safety on the line when they assist victims of emergency situations. Sometimes these volunteers are injured or become ill, which prohibits them from returning to work.

The Volunteer Firefighters’ and Volunteer Ambulance Workers’ (VFAW) Benefits Laws allow injured volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers to receive cash benefits and medical care. These benefits are available if the volunteer is injured or becomes ill in the line of duty. This law was enacted in 1957 and 1989 to protect the volunteers who give unselfish service.

The workers’ compensation insurance is paid for by the local political subdivision and volunteers are not required to contribute to the cost of coverage. If a volunteer firefighter or ambulance worker is injured or becomes ill, the insurance carrier is responsible for paying the weekly cash benefits and medical care per applicable law.

Workers’ compensation does not place fault on either the company or the volunteer worker. The amount of compensation in which a volunteer firefighter or ambulance worker qualifies, is not lowered by his or her carelessness and not increased by the company’s fault. However, if the volunteer firefighter or ambulance worker is injured due to intoxication from alcohol or drugs, he or she loses the right to receive workers’ compensation benefits.

Who qualifies for workers’ comp benefits under the VFAW?
Under New York law, all New York State volunteer firefighters are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits if they are active volunteer members of a fire company of a county, city, town, village or fire district and are injured in the line of duty. Most New York State volunteer ambulance workers are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits if they are active volunteer members of an ambulance company and are injured in the line of duty. If a volunteer ambulance company is not contracted with a county, city, town, village or other political subdivision, that company can choose to provide optional coverage to workers.

To qualify for workers’ compensation benefits based on the VFAW, the injured volunteer firefighter or ambulance worker must be injured or have become ill while in the line of duty. For example, line of duty for a volunteer firefighter could include fire prevention activities, participation at a fire or some duty at the firehouse. Line of duty for a volunteer ambulance worker could include travel to an accident, participation in drills or personal assistance rendered to another ambulance company.

If you are a volunteer firefighter or volunteer ambulance worker and have been injured in the line of duty and have been denied workers’ compensation benefits, contact Markhoff & Mittman, P.C. at (866) 205-2415 for expert legal advice. We have been helping injured workers obtain workers’ comp benefits for years and we are one of the oldest New York disability firms in New York.


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