Injured police officer sought judicial review of a decision of the city retirement board that denied officer’s application for duty disability benefits.
The Circuit Court affirmed the board’s decision. Officer appealed. The Appellate Court reversed. Board petitioned for leave to appeal, which was allowed.
The Supreme Court held that:
- Before a pension board may award a disability pension to a police officer, the board must receive an opinion on the officer’s disability status from at least one board-appointed doctor; overruling Nowak v. Retirement Board of the Firemen’s Annuity & Benefit Fund of Chicago, 315 Ill. App. 3d 403, 248 Ill.Dec. 129, 733 N.E.2d 804, and
- Board’s finding that officer could return to duty was not against manifest weight of evidence.