Section 94A: Disability or death caused by disease of lungs or respiratory tract; paid fire department member; presumption
Summary
Section 94A creates a rebuttable presumption that any lung or respiratory tract disease causing total disability or death in a uniformed firefighter (including certain airport and military fire crews) was suffered in the line of duty from inhaling noxious fumes or poisonous gases, if the employee passed a physical exam on entry or later that showed no evidence of the condition.
Statutory Text
Section 94A: Disability or death caused by disease of lungs or respiratory tract; paid fire department member; presumption
Section 94A. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary affecting the non-contributory or contributory retirement system, any condition of impairment of health caused by any disease of the lungs or respiratory tract, resulting in total disability or death to a uniformed member of a paid fire department, including, without limitation, any permanent crash crewman, crash boatman, fire controlman or assistant fire controlman employed at the General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport, members of the 104th fighter wing fire department, members of the Devens fire department established pursuant to chapter 498 of the acts of 1993 or members of the Massachusetts military reservation fire department, shall, if he successfully passed a physical examination on entry into such service or subsequent to such entry, which examination failed to reveal any evidence of such condition, be presumed to have been suffered in the line of duty, as a result of the inhalation of noxious fumes or poisonous gases, unless the contrary be shown by competent evidence.