Accidental Disability Claims

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The state will grant the most accidental disability pensions in its history this year, records show, having approved 537 through August. By comparison, in 2007 it awarded 402. In 2010, the state made $91.5 million in such payments to police and firefighters, a 35 percent increase from 2007, when it paid out $68 million.

The sharp increase came after the state Supreme Court in 2007 and 2008 expanded the types of injuries that qualify for accidental pensions, forcing the state’s pension boards to award them for disabilities ranging from mental illness to injuries sustained from slips and falls.

"How a judge gave an accidental disability pension to a guy who stapled his finger is amazing," said John Sierchio, chairman of the pension board who has been critical of the ruling. "We should poll kids from kindergartens across the state to see how many have done the same thing."

A public employee who qualifies for an accidental disability pension receives two-thirds of his final salary, with no state or federal taxes deducted, and life insurance without having to pay a premium until age 55.

Under a normal disability — and not the result of an accident — an employee receives 40 percent of a salary, and federal taxes are deducted.

Gov. Chris Christie has said he would like to change the law to make it more difficult to collect an accidental disability pension, though he has not spelled out the changes.

Cop's staple gun accident among many N.J. disability pensions that could cost taxpayers more than $100M | NJ.com

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