COLUMBUS, Ohio — Nearly a decade after our exclusive News 5 investigation sparked a change in state law, we found Ohio towns and cities often battle awarding Michael Louis Palumbo Jr. Act benefits to firefighters diagnosed with cancer after the state approves their claims.

Out of 422 Palumbo Act claims filed between April 6, 2017 and April 2, 2025, the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation approved 327, or 77%, of claims.

However, we also found 264 (63%) of the claims were appealed, which means firefighters and their families are battling their employers for benefits the state approved.

View a timeline recounting the events and news reports that have led to this point below. Click here to view the timeline full-screen.

Sandy's story

"It's shameful that they betrayed us," Sandy Gor

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