Workers’ comp didn’t cover a New Mexico firefighter’s cancer — a new bill would change that

Workers’ comp didn’t cover a New Mexico firefighter’s cancer — a new bill would change that

Crews fight the Buck Fire north of Silver City in 2025. (Photo courtesy Bureau of Land Management)Albuquerque Fire Rescue Lieutenant Paramedic Mark Jaquez had been on duty with the department for nine years when, in 2017, he received an unexpected diagnosis: colorectal cancer that required surgery. His medical team removed 18 polyps and discovered that the growth had narrowly avoided a critical junction. If it had spread just a fraction of an in…

Workers' comp didn't cover a New Mexico firefighter's cancer — a new bill would change that

A bill in the New Mexico state Legislature would greatly expand the list of cancers that workers' compensation covers for firefighters.