THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION BOARD’S CONCLUSION THAT CLAIMANT DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER RESCUE AND CLEANUP OPERATION WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing the Workers’ Compensation Board, determined the Board’s conclusion that claimant did not participate in the rescue, recovery and cleanup operations at the World Trade Center (WTC) was not supported by the evidence:

… [C]laimant testified that, during her October 2001 and December 2001 assignments, she was assigned to the NYPD’s command center for the rescue, recovery and cleanup operations. The command center was located 600 feet from the WTC site and there were areas set up at the command center for claimant and others to provide mental health support to police and fire department personnel working on the rescue, recovery and cleanup operations at the site. According to claimant, she would respond to calls concerning distressed workers and those individuals would be brought to the command center or claimant would go the rubble pile where they were working. Claimant would do an assessment as to the extent of the individual’s mental health condition and determine whether the individual could continue working or be taken off line and provided mental health treatment through the NYPD employee assistance program. McArdle [NYPD on-site coordinator] testified that he remembered claimant being at the command center and providing support to those working in the rescue, recovery and cleanup operation and that she was “well received” by the NYPD. McArdle further testified that identifying those individuals who needed to be taken off line for treatment was instrumental in continuing the operation and that many of those individuals were able to return to the operation after treatment. Matter of Goss v WTC Volunteer, 2025 NY Slip Op 01413, Third Dept 3-13-25