Peace Officers have been defined as sheriffs, police, wardens, correctional officers and other individuals who considered peace officers under state regulations. The definition of cardiovascular disability is where the heart is directly involved.

For example, if you have high blood pressure but it doesn’t affect the heart then the presumption does not apply. We are looking at an actual ventricular disease in the heart in the ventricle or muscle especially if they are enlarged as the basis for the cardiovascular presumption. High blood pressure does not carry that. The presumption only applies if there­ is actual damage to the heart. That could be through high blood pressure or other issues but we have to have heart involvement in order to get the presumption. Otherwise, it becomes rebuttable.

The defendants can attempt to show that the problem (high blood pressure) is not necessarily due to the employment.

Check with your doctors and attorney if you’re filing for Workers’ Compensation on this issue to verify that you do meet the presumption.