Deputy's Failure to Treat Risk for Heart Condition Doesn't Undermine Claim

A Florida appellate court overturned a denial of benefits to a sheriff’s deputy for heart disease, finding his failure to follow a course of treatment for conditions that were risk factors did not override the statutory presumption that his ailment was work-related. Ismael Tiburcio worked for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office as a deputy. He was hired in corrections in 2004 and transferred to patrol in 2005. He had pre-employment physicals in January and December 2004, neither of which showed any evidence of hypertension or heart disease. During a busy overnight shift i...