House Passes Bill to Cover Exacerbation of Mental Health Conditions

The Virginia House of Delegates unanimously passed a bill that would provide workers' compensation coverage for the exacerbation of preexisting mental health conditions without an accompanying physical injury for law enforcement and firefighters. The House on Tuesday voted 97-0 to pass HB 1313, which would clarify that coverage for so-called "mental-mental" claims also includes worsening of a preexisting disorder. Legislation enacted in 2020 allowed claims for post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder or depressive disorder without a physical injury when a firefighter or...