A 27-year veteran Frisco firefighter, who was terminated by the city while on medical leave for a job-related mental trauma injury, recently won in his workers' compensation case.
Local Profile previously reported, that on on May 1, 2023, Assistant Frisco Fire Chief Cameron Kraemer retired while receiving treatment for PTSD — but the Frisco Firefighters Association argued he was forced to retire.
According to the Frisco Firefighters Association, Kraemer was in the midst of receiving treatment for long-standing PTSD when the city terminated his employment. The termination followed the city's rejection of his requests for medical coverage.
Over the course of his career, Kraemer was exposed to numerous traumatic incidents. His medical condition had significantly worsened after an incident on Aug. 11, 2022, in which a 45-foot fire truck accidentally backed up and pinned a firefighter against the wall of a city building. The event took an emotional toll on Kraemer, who not only broke the news to a member of the firefighter's family but also had to assist in the cleanup at the scene.
As Kraemer, who displayed a range of PTSD symptoms, sought ongoing medical treatment during his medical leave, the city denied his injury claims and terminated his employment in May 2023.
Following a hearing on Sept. 21, 2023, presided over by the administrative law judge at the TDI Workers' Compensation Division in Dallas, an order was issued mandating that the self-insured city of Frisco make a lump-sum payment to Kraemer, covering his benefits and any accumulated yet unpaid income benefits.
“Cameron Kraemer was undergoing treatment for line-of-duty injuries clearly recognized by the state legislature and medical experts, but the city of Frisco chose to break the law, deny him insurance coverage and terminate him,” said Matthew Sapp, president of the Frisco Fire Fighters Association. “The city wasted taxpayer resources on this case, but we’re grateful for the ruling and vindication of Cameron.”
Kraemer's next step, according to Sapp, involves exploring the legal recourse available to address his wrongful termination by the city. Sapp explained in a statement that the association is currently in discussions with legal representatives and the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters, an organization representing over 18,000 firefighters across 194 Texas communities, to assess potential avenues for providing additional support to Kraemer.
