Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / May 30, 2023
City of Clinton vs. Robert Dahman
Robert Dahman, a former police officer for the City of Clinton, sought workers' compensation benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after responding to the fatal shooting of a fellow officer. The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission awarded him benefits, finding his PTSD was a compensable occupational disease caused by "extraordinary and unusual" work-related stress. The City appealed, arguing Dahman failed to meet the statutory requirement. The appellate court affirmed the Commission's award, concluding that sufficient competent evidence supported the finding that Dahman's work-related stress was extraordinary and unusual by objective standards.