Ark. Ct: Controverting Evidence Grounds for Claim Denial

Without strong medical evidence that supports a retired firefighter's claim that he was injured during his work tenure, a workers' compensation judge can deny him permanent total disability benefits, an Arkansas court ruled. Archie Gilliland was a Monroe city firefighter for 33 years, from 1964 until 1997. He stopped working in April 1997, at age 58, and began receiving state retirement benefits. In January 1999, Gilliland was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent a thoracotomy and partial lobectomy. He also had emphysema and a pulmonologist diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary di...