When first responders are hurt, the system meant to help them can fail

On September 3, 2025, Fort Worth firefighters responded to a two-alarm house fire on the city's historic Southside.

Caleb Halvorson was part of the crew that responded. As he was fighting the flames inside the home's garage, it collapsed around him, leaving him crushed beneath debris and his body covered in burns.

The fire also set off a chain of events that has exposed broader concerns about how injured first responders are treated across Texas.

Halvorson is home now, recovering, still in therapy, and facing additional surgeries. But his case drew widespread attention after his family took to social media, alleging that workers' compensation had denied and delayed parts of his care.

"I love my job and I want to go back to doing my job. But I want to go back to doing it 110%, not broken, and for that to happen, I can't be getting denied," Halvorson said. "I held up my promise, hold up yours."

After his story became public, more than two dozen first responders came forward with similar accounts. An I-Team investigation found those stories are not isolated, raising questions about a system many describe as slow and adversarial.

A pattern across departments

Just south of Texas Motor Speedway, along State Highway 114, Fort Worth firefighter Shonna Moorman can still point to the exact spot where her life changed.

Moorman, a 27-year veteran, was responding to a rollover crash on New Year's Eve in 2019, when a truck slammed into her fire engine and then into her. 

"It launched me eight to 10 feet in the air, threw me into the middle of the highway," she said.

Her injuries were so severe that she underwent 10 surgeries and spent nearly two months in the hospital.

"I almost lost my leg multiple times," she said.

But Moorman said the struggle did not end when she went home.

When her doctor requested authorization for a knee replacement surgery, workers' compensation denied it repeatedly.

"It was three denial letters," she said. "It took the doctor I'm seeing now three four-page letters to write everything in and document everything and hunt everything down. And he went to war for me. And finally, it was approved. It was a long battle. It was in that year I could barely walk." 

Daniel Terrell, a Fort Worth fire captain with 20 years on the job, suffered extensive injuries in 2024 when a fire engine rolled over, throwing him from the vehicle.

"I had, I think, 13 or 14 skull and facial fractures, crushed a bunch of cranial nerves, broke ribs," he said.

Despite those injuries, Terrell said he had to fight for approval to see the right specialists.

"There's a video of me getting drug out of the windshield, and we were arguing over whether I should be able to select a surgeon to operate on my eye," he said.

Terrell said the system distracts from recovery.

"If you're hurt or, especially if you have a cancer diagnosis, the only thing that you should ever think about is healing and getting healthy," he said.

In Arlington, firefighter Brady Weaver was shot in the line of duty in March 2024. The bullet missed his heart by a centimeter and pierced his lung. It remains lodged in his body.

"In the back of the ambulance, my vision kind of started going in and out, and all I could think is, I can't leave these kids at home. They need their dad," Weaver said.

He was later honored by Gov. Greg Abbott at the 2024 Star of Texas Awards in Austin, which recognize peace officers, firefighters and first responders who demonstrate heroism and sacrifice in service to their communities and the state.

Even after that recognition, he said he is still dealing with denials and out-of-pocket bills.

"This is the first denial I received," he said. "Workers' comp won't cover it, and my pocketbook only goes so far."

"We put our lives on the line, and they treat us like someone who stubbed their toe at work and is just trying to get a payout."

The I-Team found their stories are not unique. More than two dozen first responders have described their battles following injuries, illnesses and diseases they say were caused in the line of duty.

A Fort Worth firefighter who fell through an attic said he was denied therapy after breaking his back.

Another, hurt searching for missing campers in Kerrville, said workers' compensation "passed him around like a Marlboro cigarette."

In Bedford, a retired police officer described waiting "five months in pure agony" for a back surgery and called the system "all money-driven."

In Hutchins, a firefighter hit and thrown under a police cruiser described workers' compensation as a "nightmare."

How the system works

When a city employee is injured, a claim is filed with the city's insurance carrier, which then determines whether care is approved.

If a claim is denied, it can be appealed through the Division of Workers' Compensation, part of the Texas Department of Insurance.

State data shows more than 507,000 claims have been filed since 2021. Of those, more than 82,000, about 16%, received an initial denial.

The I-Team also requested data from North Texas cities, asking for the number of workers' compensation claims filed between January 2021 and March 2026, as well as how many of those claims received an initial denial.

Fort Worth reported 8,938 claims, with 722 initial denials. Dallas reported 9,485 claims, with 773 initial denials. Plano reported 2,628 claims and no initial denials. Frisco reported 1,303 claims, with 115 initial denials. Saginaw reported 91 claims and no initial denials. Flower Mound reported 492 claims, with 35 initial denials. Arlington reported 2,721 workers' compensation claims, with 202 denials.

These figures reflect workers' compensation claims across all city employees, not just first responders.

Firefighter advocates push back

The Texas State Association of Fire Fighters said denial rates for first responders were significantly higher a decade ago, when they were around 90 percent, and have improved to roughly 40 percent today.

"There has been progress," said Erin Powers, communications director for the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters.

But Powers said responsibility is often shared.

In some cases, cities sign over decision-making authority to insurance carriers or to the Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool, a self-insurance pool used by cities across Texas to provide workers' compensation coverage.

Zac Shaffer, president of the Fort Worth Professional Firefighters Association, said the system is shaped by policy.

"Insurance is designed to deny," he said. "It's a policy problem."

"This is where the city deserves blame," he said, adding that carriers can also be "aggressive."

"It comes down to cities and money," he said. "They try to cut costs."

"We are lumped in with all employees," he said. "But when you're talking about return-to-work programs or duty modifications, that doesn't apply as well to first responders."

"We need more choices for doctors," he said.

"The time you spend waiting for approval shouldn't count against the two years first responders are given," he said. 

"We handle all complaints. We have assigned advocates to help," he said. "We have a lot of problems out there."

Beau Simpson, a district vice president with the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters, said the issue is widespread.

"It's a massive problem," he said.

Simpson said the association represents 20,000 firefighters and he receives calls for help five times a day.

"The biggest thing is we're in the same workers' comp system as everyone else in Texas," he said.

"Some in the general workforce may want to play the game. We just want to go back to work."

"They (cities and carriers) want to spend the least amount of money and get someone back to work. We are different."

"If they did what they needed to do sooner, I would have been back at work sooner… and for less money," he said. "That's the biggest issue we have."

"The bigger carrier, Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool, they are the devil to us when it comes to workers' comp," he said. "They don't care."

The I-Team reached out to TML for comment, but it has not received a response.

State Rep. Jared Patterson, a Republican from Frisco, said many first responders are told decisions are up to insurance carriers, but cities still have authority.

"The city council members and the mayors of these cities and the county commissioners… they are the ones that are sending these folks into harm's way," he said.

"They're sending them into harm's way, and then if they get injured in the line of duty, you're on your own."

Patterson has been pushing reforms since 2019.

"It's mainly been the cost," he said, referring to cities' opposition to reforms.

Some opponents cite the impact of potential fraud on workers' compensation denials. But Fort Worth City Councilmember Charlie Lauersdorf said those should not overshadow the needs of injured first responders.

"You hear, 'What about fraud? What about this?'" Lauersdorf said. "Let's trust our first responders to do the right thing."

"They want to get back to work. Caleb Halvorson wants to get back to work. He doesn't want to be in this position. No one wants to sit behind a desk."

"Let's get them healthy, get them back to work, approve it as it comes through and worry about everything else on the back side."

After Halvorson struggled to get care, Lauersdorf pressed the city manager to step in.

Emails obtained by the I-Team show that Lauersdorf also asked for a full review of the city's workers' compensation system.

A System Under Scrutiny

The Texas Department of Insurance said it enforces the system but does not create the laws governing it.

For people like Weaver, the Arlington firefighter who was shot, the issue remains immediate.

"I still have a bullet in me," he said. "I have kids. I need to be able to give them everything… and if I'm not having the care that I need, how does that affect them in the long run?"

City Responses

The I-Team reached out to multiple cities across North Texas, asking whether they support, oppose or are considering changes to the workers' compensation system for first responders, what role they play in decisions affecting injured employees, and if they are supporting any upcoming legislation to change the system.

City of Fort Worth:

"The city follows the law and all federal and state regulatory guidelines related to injured/ill workers. Any considerations to change current practices will follow an appropriate review and evaluation process.

There is a plan for a new position(s) for Human Resources, that will:
focus on ensuring employees have access to additional support for navigating the claims process,
serve as an escalation point, if issues arise,
partner with departments and injured employees on return-to-work options; and
increase reporting and visibility into claims activity.

Increasing our internal support model enhances service delivery for all employees, including Police and Fire. The goal is to staff the position(s) during Fiscal Year 2026.

We cannot speak to any specific cases. The city follows the law and all regulatory guidelines related to injured/ill workers, including options for provider selection.

Due to HIPPA laws, we are unable to comment on specific cases.

The city holds Sedgwick accountable for service level agreements, including expectations for responsiveness. The city follows allowable procurement guidelines, including competitive bidding. Following initial vendor selection, the city has discretion to exercise an initial term of five-years and an option to renew up to two additional one-year terms. Sedgwick currently has one remaining renewal option, which would require the city to initiate the competitive bidding process no later than 2027."

Sedgwick, the third-party administrator that manages Fort Worth's workers' comp claims, has referred the I-Teams questions to the city; however, the I-Team has learned Sedgwick and the City of Fort Worth are communicating about the issues.

A spokesperson later told the I-Team "…the team continues to meet with the city but does not have an update yet."

City of Hutchins:

"The City of Hutchins will continue to closely monitor any legislative developments at the state level that may affect our first responders.

We recognize the critical role our first responders play in ensuring the safety and security of our community and remain firmly committed to supporting their health, safety, and overall well-being, particularly in the event of unforeseen work-related injuries.

The City of Hutchins supports any measures that will benefit and enhance the well-being of our first responders."

City of Dallas:

"Since the question is about upcoming legislative priorities, there is not anything to say at this time. We have not started those discussions, much less received direction from council, on the City's priorities for the upcoming session."

City of Frisco:

"Thank you for your interest; however, we do not have a comment at this time."

City of Bedford:

"The City of Bedford is committed to supporting the health, safety, and well-being of our first responders and ensuring they have access to the care and resources they need.

At this time, the City is not actively pursuing or evaluating changes to the workers' compensation system. To date, the City of Bedford has not received concerns from Bedford first responders regarding the current process.

However, we continue to monitor legislative discussions at the state level and remain supportive of efforts that enhance care, streamline access to benefits, and improve outcomes for those who serve our community.

The City of Bedford has taken proactive steps to support first responder health and early detection of potential issues. The Bedford Fire Department has offered cancer screening programs since 2018 and currently provides sonogram screenings twice a year and annual blood work. These efforts already meet the requirements outlined in the Wade Cannon Act. The Bedford Police Department also continues to utilize a wellness grant to offer voluntary full-body health screenings for officers through Front Line Mobile.

The City remains committed to evaluating opportunities that support first responder wellness and will continue to prioritize programs and resources that help protect those who protect our community."

City of Arlington:

"The City of Arlington is committed to the health, safety, and well-being of every one of our employees. Our workers' compensation program is administered in accordance with state law requirements, and we work closely with employees to ensure they understand their rights and the resources available to them throughout the process. These cases are often complex and highly fact-specific, and each is handled based on its individual circumstances.

We are always looking for ways to improve the process and the employee experience. As an example, in 2025, the City implemented enhanced staff training and strengthened quality control measures to improve the timeliness of bill processing and the accuracy of data entry.

From 2021 through February 2026, the City has had 2,721 workers' compensation claims filed. Of those, 91% (2,452) were fully approved, 2% (67) were partially approved, and 7% (202) were denied. Over a similar timeframe, the City paid more than $10.2 million in workers' compensation claims.

Due to privacy considerations, we are unable to comment on the specific case you referenced."

City of Southlake:

"The City of Southlake is committed to supporting the health, safety, and well-being of all employees, including first responders.

While the City does not take positions on legislation without reviewing specific proposals, we remain attentive to discussions on first responder support and will carefully evaluate any measures that could impact our employees."

Town of Flower Mound:

"The Town of Flower Mound is self-insured for workers' compensation but through the Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool, which is a self-insured group. This means we share benefits and liabilities with other members of the group. Our contract with the risk pool is up in September 2026, but we have the option to renew. Though we still have time before making that decision, we do not currently have any plans to leave the risk pool.

The Town does not play any role in reviewing or influencing decisions on workers comp. Claims are reviewed and decided by the Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool adjusters, without our staff's involvement."

State Response

The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers' Compensation provided the following response:

"The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) administers and oversees the operations of the Texas workers' compensation system, including monitoring for compliance and managing the administrative dispute resolution process for disagreements on a claim.

Insurance carriers are responsible for handling claim decisions such as accepting, paying, or denying workers' compensation claims. Injured employees have the right to dispute an insurance carrier's claim decision.

There are several special provisions in the Texas workers' compensation system for first responders, including expedited medical disputes. Under Texas Labor Code Section 504.055, a first responder's request for medical dispute resolution must be accelerated by DWC and given priority.

As the regulator, DWC does not advocate for specific regulatory changes. Our role is to serve as a resource for lawmakers when they consider changes to workers' compensation laws. DWC reviews all proposed workers' compensation legislation, and provides analysis, feedback, and resource witness testimony when requested.

Injured employees have the right to dispute an insurance carrier's claim decision. DWC has an administrative dispute resolution process for this purpose. We encourage injured employees to contact us at 800-252-7031 at any point during their claim to receive information about their rights, the claims process, or how to initiate a dispute.

When a first responder calls DWC, they are assigned to one of our experienced claims examiners, called single-point-of-contacts (SPOCs). A SPOC helps the injured employee throughout the duration of their claim and serves as a consistent point of communication.

DWC also provides online resources, including videos on how to navigate the claims process and FAQs about the workers' compensation claims process. These materials are available in English and Spanish, and DWC has resources dedicated specifically to first responders.

In addition, the Office of Injured Employee Counsel (OIEC), a separate state agency, is available to assist, educate, and advocate on behalf of injured employees in Texas."