Workers' Compensation Court Lacks Jurisdiction Over Injured Deputy's Claim

The Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled that the Workers’ Compensation Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over an injured deputy sheriff’s challenge to the denial of his application for an accidental disability retirement pension. Case: O’Connell v. Employees’ Retirement System of Rhode Island, No. 2024-232-M.P., 03/16/2026, published. Facts and procedural history: Sean M. O’Connell, a deputy sheriff for the Department of Public Safety, in October 2021, applied for ordinary and accidental disability retirement pensions. He asserted that he sustained a ba...