Which condition is not presumed compensable for a public safety officer?

• A. A psychiatric claim
• B. A physical injury such as a broken bone
• C. A traumatic brain injury
• D. A hearing loss

Answer: (A)

Public safety officers have a presumption that injuries arising in the line of duty are compensable, but this presumption typically applies to physical injuries where the job link is clear. A broken bone, a traumatic brain injury, or hearing loss caused by on-the-job events or exposure are the kinds of injuries that fit neatly into this presumption, making their compensability easier to establish.

A psychiatric claim, on the other hand, is not automatically presumed. Mental health conditions such as PTSD or other psychiatric disorders require medical evidence linking the disorder to work-related factors and events, with a showing that the condition arose out of and in the course of employment. Because the causation for mental health issues can be more complex and multifactorial, they do not enjoy the same automatic presumption as physical injuries.

Thus, the condition not presumed compensable for a public safety officer is the psychiatric claim.