Connecticut governor signs mental injury compensability bill

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont on Tuesday signed a bill that would make post-traumatic stress “injuries” compensable for all workers if they experience a “qualifying event” such as witnessing a death.

S.B. 913, which expands compensability for mental injuries that is already provided to first responders, goes into effect Jan. 1, 2024.

Under the law, a mental health professional must examine the claimant and diagnose the condition “as a direct result of an event that occurs in their course of employment.” Qualifying events include viewing a deceased minor, witnessing a death or an accident that later results in a death, and witnessing a major injury such as a disfigurement.