In Roger Williams v. Brevard County Fire Rescue and Preferred Government Claims Solutions the Claimant worked as a certified firefighter who responded to numerous traumatic calls involving death or serious bodily injury throughout his career. There are two events particularly relevant to this PTSD claim. The first was when Claimant responded to a truck fire and the second occurred when Claimant was working light duty at the reception desk of the fire station. Claimant witnessed a video running on a nearby television set which depicted fire rescue scenes and started experiencing shortness of breath and broke down crying. Claimant then filed a petition for benefit for compensability and treatment for PTSD. E/C denied his claim stating that it was unrelated to employment. The JCC rejected claimant’s Daubert challenge as to the E/C expert. The JCC referred to the F.S. Sec. 112.1815 to determine compensability of PTSD. The provision required Claimant to provide a clear and convincing evidence standard of proof. The JCC ultimately concluded that Claimant failed to provide clear and convincing evidence that he suffered PTSD from his employment experiences. Compensability DENIED.
