{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-5-653","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 5-653","heading":"Presumption as to disability or death from cancer.","body":"(a)\nA member shall be presumed to have a performance-of-duty injury or illness that is covered by this subchapter and Chapter 7 of this title, unless such presumption is overcome by a preponderance of evidence to the contrary or the member is disqualified from the presumption pursuant to § 5-655, if:\n(1)\nThe member has been in contact with or exposed to a toxic substance while in the line of duty that is associated with an increased risk of leukemia or cancer, and has a diagnosis of:\n(A)\nLeukemia or breast, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, rectal, colon, colorectal, liver, testicular, or respiratory cancer;\n(B)\nMultiple myeloma, brain, non-Hodgkin's, or throat cancer; or\n(C)\nKidney, thyroid, or bladder cancer;\n(2)\nThe member has completed at least 10 years of service with the Department;\n(3)\nThe leukemia or cancer results in the members' inability to perform the full range of duties or in death;\n(4)\nThe member has undergone a pre-employment physical examination and the member was found, at the time of the examination, to be free of the performance-of-duty injury or illness underlying the presumption provided for in this subsection; and\n(5)\nThe member, upon request of the Director, submits to a physical examination conducted by physicians selected by the Director.\n\n(b)\nAn EMS employee shall be presumed to have an occupational disease suffered in the line of duty that is covered by Chapter 6 of Title 1, unless such presumption is overcome by a preponderance of evidence to the contrary or the member is disqualified from the presumption pursuant to § 5-655, if:\n(1)\nThe EMS employee has been in contact with or exposed to a toxic substance while in the line of duty that is associated with an increased risk of leukemia or cancer, and has a diagnosis of:\n(A)\nLeukemia or breast, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, rectal, colon, colorectal, liver, testicular, or respiratory cancer;\n(B)\nMultiple myeloma, brain, non-Hodgkin's, or throat cancer; or\n(C)\nKidney, thyroid, or bladder cancer;\n(2)\nThe EMS employee has completed at least 10 years of service with the Department;\n(3)\nThe leukemia or cancer results in the EMS employee's injury, as defined by § 1-623.01(5), or in death;\n(4)\nThe EMS employee has undergone a pre-employment physical examination and the EMS employee was found, at the time of the examination, to be free of the occupational disease underlying the presumption provided for in this subsection; and\n(5)\nThe EMS employee, upon request of the Director, submits to a physical examination conducted by physicians selected by the Director.","path":["Title 5. Police, Firefighters, Medical Examiner, and Forensic Sciences.","Chapter 6A. Police and Firefighters Limited Duty.","Subchapter II. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Employee Presumptive Disability."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/5-653","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"9c50805049fecefc6a42d29297c35319f7b1e87336a256d5cbeecb47de002684","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-5-652","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-5-654"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}