RS 2011 - Development of cancer during employment in fire service; occupational disease
A. Because of exposure to heat, smoke, and fumes or carcinogenic, poisonous, toxic, or chemical substances, when a firefighter in the classified service who has completed ten or more years of service has developed cancer, the cancer shall be classified as an occupational disease or infirmity connected with the duties of a firefighter. The disease or infirmity shall be presumed to have been caused by or to have resulted from the work performed. This presumption shall be rebuttable by evidence meeting judicial standards, and shall be extended to a member following termination of service for a period of three months for each full year of service not to exceed sixty months commencing with the last actual date of service.
B. The cancer referred to in Subsection A of this Section shall be limited to the types of cancer which may be caused by exposure to heat, smoke, radiation, or a known or suspected carcinogen as defined by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The cancer shall also be limited to a cancer originating in the bladder, brain, colon, liver, pancreas, skin, kidney, or gastrointestinal or reproductive tract, and leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer, or any other type of cancer, due to occupational exposure, for which firefighters are determined to have a statistically significant increased risk over that of the general population.
C. The affected employee or his survivors shall be entitled to all rights and benefits as granted by state law to which one suffering an occupational injury is entitled as service connected in the line of duty.
D. The provisions of this Section shall not be construed to affect in any way the provisions of R.S. 33:2581.
Acts 1995, No. 214, §1; Acts 2004, No. 641, §1; Acts 2017, No. 287, §1.