Pension granted to family of dead firefighter challenged

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill. (AP) - Officials of a northern Illinois village say they will appeal the granting of line-of-duty death benefits to the family of a veteran firefighter who died this year of cancer.

The appeal by Buffalo Grove seeks to overturn a first-of-its-kind ruling in Illinois in which the pension board declared Kevin Hauber's colon cancer was caused by his work as a firefighter.

If upheld, Hauber's widow, Kimberly, would receive his annual salary of $101,549 for the rest of her life.

The Daily Herald in Arlington Heights reports if the village's appeal succeeds, the widow would receive annual pension payments starting at $76,162 and dropping to about $60,000 once her four daughters reach 18.

In a filing Wednesday in Lake County Court, Buffalo Grove officials contend there is no clear evidence or research proving firefighting has a direct or indirect causal relationship with colon cancer. The 51-year-old Hauber died in January.

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Information from: Daily Herald, http://www.dailyherald.com