§3377. Retirement for nonservice connected disability; method of establishing pension

A. If any member of the fire department acquires a total physical or mental disability and becomes incapacitated to perform his duties, and the disability is not the direct result of a service-incurred injury or illness, then, upon application filed by the member in accordance with R.S. 11:3376, the board of trustees, by a two-thirds majority vote of its members, shall determine whether or not the member shall be retired for disability. The procedure to establish the disability and to determine the continuance thereof shall be the same as that prescribed in R.S. 11:3376. The amount of the pension to be received by any member retired in accordance with the provisions of this Section shall be based on the following schedule:

(1) If the member with a disability has performed faithful service in the fire department for a period of ten years or less, he shall receive a pension in the amount of thirty percent of his average compensation during the last year of service immediately preceding the date of establishing his disability in accordance with the provisions of this Section.

(2) If the member with a disability has performed faithful service in the fire department for a period of more than ten years, but not more than fifteen years, he shall receive a pension in the amount of forty percent of his average compensation during the last year of service immediately preceding the date of establishing his disability in accordance with the provisions of this Section.

(3) If the member with a disability has performed faithful service in the fire department for a period of more than fifteen years, he shall receive a pension in the amount of fifty percent of his average compensation during the last year of service immediately preceding the date of establishing his disability in accordance with the provisions of this Section.

B. All of the penalties prescribed in R.S. 11:3376 for failure of such member to submit to preliminary and periodic examinations by the department physician, or by any other doctor or specialist, or both, after being ordered by the board to report for such examinations, shall apply with the same force and effect in the case of members claiming disability under the provisions of this Section.

C. All provisions of R.S. 11:3376 with reference to restoration to duty of a member previously retired, are likewise applicable to members retired under this Section, and the period of retirement under this Section shall not be counted in determining the member's pension rights and eligibility for retirement in the ordinary course.

D. Benefits payable in accordance with this Section shall in no way affect the rights of the pensioner as granted by any other statute.

Added by Acts 1962, No. 403, §2. Amended by Acts 1969, No. 120, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 33:2113.1 by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991; Acts 2013, No. 234, §1, eff. June 12, 2013; Acts 2014, No. 811, §4, eff. June 23, 2014.

NOTE: Acts 2014, No. 811 changed terminology referring to persons with disabilities throughout the La. Revised Statutes and codes of law, and included a listing of terms that were deleted and their respective successor terms (See Acts 2014, No. 811, §36). The Act provides that it is not the intent of the legislature that changes in terminology effected therein alter or affect in any way the substance, interpretation, or application of any law or administrative rule; further provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to expand or diminish any right of or benefit for any person provided by any law or administrative rule (See Acts 2014, No. 811, §35(C) and (D)).