N.J. Stat. § 53:5A-10
A member with a preexisting and asymptomatic condition that is rendered symptomatic as a direct result of a traumatic event occurring during and as a result of the performance of the member's regular or assigned duties may be eligible for an accidental disability retirement allowance, provided that the traumatic event is caused by a circumstance external to the member and is the substantial contributing cause of the member's permanent and total disability.
The application to accomplish such retirement must be filed within 5 years of the original traumatic event, but the board of trustees may consider an application filed after the 5-year period if it can be factually demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board of trustees that the disability is due to the accident and the filing was not accomplished within the 5-year period due to a delayed manifestation of the disability or to the member's continued employment in a restricted capacity consistent with the nature of his disability in the Division of the State Police upon and at the written request of the superintendent, with the concurrence of the Attorney General, or to other circumstances beyond the control of the member.
"Qualifying condition or impairment of health" includes:
diseases of the upper respiratory tract and mucosae, including conditions such as conjunctivitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, vocal cord disease, upper airway hyper-reactivity and tracheo-bronchitis, or a combination of such conditions;
diseases of the lower respiratory tract, including but not limited to bronchitis, asthma, reactive airway dysfunction syndrome, and different types of pneumonitis, such as hypersensitivity, granulomatous, or eosinophilic;
diseases of the gastroesophageal tract, including esophagitis and reflux disease, either acute or chronic, caused by exposure or aggravated by exposure;
diseases of the psychological axis, including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, or any combination of such conditions;
diseases of the skin, such as contact dermatitis or burns, either acute or chronic in nature, infectious, irritant, allergic, idiopathic or non-specific reactive in nature, caused by exposure or aggravated by exposure; and
new onset diseases resulting from exposure as such diseases occurring in the future including cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asbestos-related disease, heavy metal poisoning, musculoskeletal disease and chronic psychological disease.
"World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations" means the rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations at the World Trade Center site between September 11, 2001 and October 11, 2001.
"World Trade Center site" means any location below a line starting from the Hudson River and Canal Street, east on Canal Street to Pike Street, south on Pike Street to the East River, and extending to the lower tip of Manhattan.
A member who did not participate in such operations for a minimum of eight hours shall be eligible for the presumption provided that:
the member participated in the rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations at the World Trade Center site between September 11, 2001 and September 12, 2001;
the member sustained a documented physical injury at the World Trade Center site between September 11, 2001 and September 12, 2001 that is a qualifying condition or impairment of health resulting in a disability to the member that prevented the member from continuing to participate in World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations for a minimum of eight hours; and
the documented physical injury that resulted in a disability to the member that prevented the member from continuing to participate in World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations for a minimum of eight hours is the qualifying condition or impairment of health for which the member seeks a presumption under this subsection.
In order to be eligible for the presumption provided under this subsection, a member shall have successfully passed a physical examination for entry into public service which failed to disclose evidence of the qualifying condition or impairment of health that formed the basis for the permanent and total disability.
A member or retiree shall not be eligible for the presumption or recalculation under this subsection unless within two years of the effective date of this act, P.L. 2019, c. 157, the member or retiree files a written and sworn statement with the retirement system on a form provided by the board of trustees thereof indicating the dates and locations of service.
N.J.S. § 53:5A-10