High Court Draws Line on Circumstances that Entitle Officers to Lifetime Health Benefits

The Illinois Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a police officer's injury from banging his head on the door frame of his patrol car while hurrying to answer a dispatch call did not occur in an emergency situation. As such, the court said Jeffrey Vaughn was not entitled to continued health insurance coverage for himself and his family under the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act. The PSEBA provides that an employer pay the health insurance premiums for emergency responders, their spouses and their dependent children if the employee suffers a "catastrophic injury&q...