Fort Worth police officers and firefighters say the city’s workers’ compensation system is tangling them in red tape just when they need help the most. A series of high-profile injury cases has pushed the long-simmering fight into public view, with injured first responders and city leaders trading shots over denials, delays and who really calls the shots on treatment for employees hurt on the job.
Severely Burned Firefighter’s Fight For Treatment
One flashpoint is firefighter Caleb Halvorson, who was badly hurt when a garage collapsed on him during a September house fire and needed extensive care. He spent weeks in a burn unit, and his family and advocates say he ran into repeated denials for specialized procedures and equipment before the workers’ comp carrier changed course after public pressure. That string of first “no” then “yes” decisions was detailed by CBS Texas.
Other Officers Say They’ve Been Blocked From Chosen Care
Police officers say Halvorson’s ordeal is not a one-off. A Fort Worth officer who reported being elbowed in the face and dislocating her jaw in July 2024 told investigators the city refused her preferred primary care provider and instead steered her toward corporate urgent-care clinics. That complaint was laid out in a report by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Records Show Denials, Budget Pressure And Planned Changes
City records obtained by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram show Fort Worth filed more than 1,000 workers’ compensation claims in 2025 and denied roughly 165 of them, a denial rate the paper pegged at about 16 percent. The same records show workers’ comp costs pushed the city’s benefits budget over its target as the fiscal year wound down, and that the city and its third-party administrator have clashed over which treatments should be authorized.
In a statement quoted by the paper, a city spokesperson said the city follows the law and regulatory guidelines related to injured/ill workers, even as the city prepares to issue a request for proposals in late spring and still has one renewal option left on its current administrator contract, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
City Manager Assigns A Case Manager
City Manager Jay Chapa has tried to calm the storm by assigning a dedicated case manager to guide injured first responders through the system and by promising a new city position aimed at cutting down on bureaucratic lag. The role is meant to speed up approvals and serve as an internal advocate when treatment stalls because of utilization review or medical-network rules, according to CBS Texas.
Elected Officials And Unions Push Back
The controversy has sparked public outrage from some City Council members and union voices who argue that first responders should not have to wage a paperwork battle while they recover. City Council member Charles Lauersdorf publicly criticized the claims administrator and pushed for faster approvals, while department advocates say leadership has started creating internal support roles focused on return-to-work and treatment coordination, according to local coverage. Council and community reaction to the case was covered by FOX4 Dallas-Fort Worth.
What Injured Workers Can Do Next
Under Texas rules, workers who disagree with denied medical treatment or billing can appeal through the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation. That process starts with a Benefit Review Conference and can move to a contested-case hearing or arbitration if needed, with specific forms and deadlines that have to be followed. The Division’s own guidance walks injured workers through the Benefit Review Conference and contested hearing steps for challenging medical denials, and the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation, provides the official procedures and forms for those appeals…