Fort Worth firefighter severely injured while battling a house fire last year has secured approval for critical medical treatments following widespread public backlash, but he fears ongoing hurdles in his recovery and for others in similar situations.
Caleb Halvorson, 27, was trapped under a collapsed roof in September during a response to a residential blaze, suffering second- and third-degree burns across his body, a dislocated knee, and additional injuries. He spent 34 days in the burn unit at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, undergoing multiple surgeries while separated from his newborn son, who was born 13 weeks premature and required care in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Released from the hospital, Halvorson faced new challenges with the city’s workers’ compensation provider, Sedgwick, which initially rejected a continuous passive motion machine prescribed for his knee recovery and laser treatments to restore movement in his burned areas. The denials came despite his doctors’ recommendations.
“I broke down a lot because… it’s not like I’m asking for anything over the moon,” Halvorson said, per Fox 4 KDFW. “This is just like the bare necessity of what I need.”
His mother highlighted the issues on social media, prompting outrage from the community, city officials, and state lawmakers. Fort Worth City Council member Charles Lauersdorf publicly criticized Sedgwick, declaring “war” on the company in an online post and accusing it of burdening injured first responders with excessive paperwork and delays.
“Always default and on the side of the first responder,” Lauersdorf said, CBS News Texas reported. “Get them the care they need, that’s at full stop. Approve it. Don’t delay it. Don’t deny it. Especially whenever you’re some pencil pusher back behind a desk who’s never had to run to the sound of chaos.”
State Reps. Jared Patterson and John McQueeney issued a joint statement supporting Halvorson, noting that without the social media attention and public pressure, he might not have received the necessary care. They pledged to monitor the situation to ensure ongoing treatment.
Sedgwick reversed its decisions the following day amid the uproar, approving the machine and surgeries.
In a social media update, Halvorson expressed relief: “With tears and heartfelt gratitude, I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who has been showing love and incredible support through this very difficult time in mine and my family’s lives. Thank you to the people who have offered help to step up to get me the supplies I need for recovery. Thank you for passionately fighting for me and with me.”
City Manager Jay Chapa responded by assigning a dedicated case manager to Halvorson’s claim and creating a new position to assist other injured employees, aiming to reduce bureaucratic obstacles.
Halvorson, a three-year veteran of the department who grew up in Fort Worth, said he loves his job but has been forced into advocacy while still healing.
“I can’t walk. I have a newborn at home. I have a wife who’s been doing everything for months,” he said, adding that his spouse manages his daily wound care alongside caring for their infant and attending nursing school.
He remains concerned about future procedures and the broader system.
“What about the next guy? What about the other guys that get hurt every single day that this isn’t the case for them? Like, they don’t have this huge, this huge, like, huge support and use platform to be able to do this, like they’re for sure getting denied,” Halvorson said, per Fox 4.
The Texas state firefighters’ union echoed those concerns, stating that while denials have decreased over the past decade due to legislative changes, incidents like Halvorson’s remain “infuriating.” The group is committed to pushing for reforms to eliminate the need for public outcry in securing treatment for line-of-duty injuries.
Halvorson is now consulting with council members and legislators to advocate for improvements in how first responders’ claims are handled, though he acknowledged the added strain during his recovery.
