Attorney Sam Steward represented former Metropolitan Airports Commission Police Officer Shana Stoler in a PERA disability appeal that resulted in the reversal of a benefits denial and secured duty disability benefits for the injured officer.
Officer Stoler worked for more than 19 years as a police officer and served as an Explosive Detection Canine Officer. Her duties included searching airport areas, screening cargo, and participating in training exercises involving live explosives.
During a mandatory training exercise, Officer Stoler was assisting with the final steps of the drill, including accounting for equipment and preparing materials for transport. While performing these tasks, she struck her head on a trailer frame and suffered a severe traumatic brain injury.
The injury left her with ongoing symptoms, including memory issues, brain fog, and chronic pain. These limitations ultimately prevented her from continuing her career in law enforcement, and she applied for disability benefits through the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA).
PERA agreed that Officer Stoler was disabled but denied her request for duty disability benefits. Instead, it granted regular disability benefits, arguing that she was not performing an inherently dangerous duty at the exact moment of the injury.
After multiple denials, the case was appealed to the Minnesota Court of Appeals. The key issue was whether PERA could separate a single moment from an ongoing, mandatory training exercise when deciding if an injury occurred during inherently dangerous work.
The Court of Appeals ruled that the full training exercise must be considered as a whole. Because Officer Stoler was participating in an explosives detection training exercise at the time of her injury, the Court found that she was engaged in inherently dangerous law enforcement duties. Thanks to the intervention of Meshbesher & Spence, the Court reversed PERA’s denial and ordered that duty disability benefits be granted.
As a result of the decision, Officer Stoler received duty disability benefits, including enhanced monthly payments, retroactive benefits, and continued access to health insurance coverage.
The ruling also provides important clarification for Minnesota public safety employees by reinforcing that PERA must evaluate job duties in context rather than isolating individual moments when reviewing disability claims.