Families of WPB police officers who died of COVID-19 win $90,000 settlements from city
The families of two West Palm Beach police officers who died of COVID-19 are receiving payouts from the city.
The City Commission this month approved $90,000 settlements with the families of Officer Anthony Testa and Officer Robert Williams, both of whom died from complications of the viral disease in 2021.
Williams, 47, was a 20-year veteran of the department when his death was announced in August 2021.
Testa, 36, was a four-year veteran who died a month later, in September 2021.
Neither officer had been vaccinated against the disease, the police department said.
In both cases, the officers' families filed workers' compensation claims, arguing that each officer 'was injured in the course and scope of his employment,' city records show.
A police department spokesperson and an attorney for the families did not respond to messages seeking comment.
MEDICAL NEWS: What these Palm Beach County officials would do differently on COVID-19
Testa and Williams are the only known West Palm Beach police officers whose deaths were linked to COVID-19.
At least five Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies also died from the disease: Jose Diaz-Ayala, Maurice Ford, Angela Chavers, Jacinto Navarro and Carlos Hernandez.
Both settlements were approved by commissioners without discussion at their March 3 meeting.
Andrew Marra is a reporter at The Palm Beach Post. Reach him at amarra@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: West Palm Beach settles with families of officers who died of COVID-19
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