Hamberger & Weiss LLP

Amendment to VFBL and VAWBL Increases Permanent Total Disability Rate

Recent amendments to Section 8 of the Volunteer Firefighters’ Benefit and Volunteer Ambulance Workers' Benefit Laws increase the rate for claimants with permanent total disabilities (PTD) from $400 per week to $600 per week. The legislation that implemented the change stated that the increase would apply to “weekly benefit periods that commence after January 1, 2017.”

We interpret this to mean that the benefit rate for PTD claimants under the VFBL and VAWBL will be increased to $600 per week, regardless of the date of injury or the date of classification with a PTD.

Of note, the Legislature did not increase the benefit rate for VFBL and VAWBL claimants in any other class of disability, i.e, PPD, TTD, or TPD.

Back to News