Introduced Version
Senate Bill 168 History
| Email
Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
Senate Bill No. 168
(By Senators Kessler (Mr. President) and Fitzsimmons)
____________
[Introduced February 15, 2013; referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary .]
____________
A BILL to amend and reenact §23-4-1f of the Code of West Virginia,
1931, as amended, relating to allowing workers' compensation
for certain mental illnesses related to being a crime victim.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §23-4-1f of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 4. DISABILITY AND DEATH BENEFITS.
§23-4-1f. Certain psychiatric injuries and diseases not
compensable; exception.
For the purposes of this chapter, no an alleged injury or
disease shall be is not recognized as a compensable injury or
disease which if it was solely caused by nonphysical means and
which did not result in any physical injury or disease to the person claiming benefits except that a person may qualify for
workers' compensation for mental illness when the mental illness is
the direct and proximate result of being a victim of a crime of
violence against the person. The crime must have occurred during
the course of employment of the person filing for benefits under
this chapter. The crime must be reported to the police within
seventy-two hours after the occurrence of the crime. A person is
not eligible for workers' compensation benefits if he or she was
engaging in the criminal activity that resulted in the mental
illness. It is the purpose of this section to clarify that so-
called mental-mental claims are not compensable under this chapter.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to allow payment of workers'
compensation benefits for mental illness when a person becomes ill
after being a victim of a crime.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.