(a) Funeral Expenses. If death results from an injury occurring on or after July 1, 1993, the employer shall pay the actual funeral expenses, not exceeding the sum of six thousand dollars ($6,000).
(b) Time of Death. If death does not result within one (1) year from the date of the accident or within the first three (3) years of the period for compensation payments fixed by the compensation order, a rebuttable presumption shall arise that the death did not result from the injury.
(c) Beneficiaries — Amounts. Subject to the limitations as set out in §§ 11-9-501 — 11-9-506, compensation for the death of an employee shall be paid to those persons who were wholly and actually dependent upon the deceased employee in the following percentage of the average weekly wage of the employee and in the following order of preference:
(1)
(A)
(i) To the widow if there is no child, thirty-five percent (35%), and the compensation shall be paid until her death or remarriage.
(ii) However, the widow shall establish, in fact, some dependency upon the deceased employee before she will be entitled to benefits as provided in this section;
(B)
(i) To the widower if there is no child, thirty-five percent (35%), and the compensation shall be paid until his death or remarriage.
(ii) However, the widower shall establish, in fact, some dependency upon the deceased employee before he will be entitled to benefits as provided in this section;
(2) To the widow or widower if there is a child, the compensation payable under subdivision (c)(1) of this section and fifteen percent (15%) on account of each child;
(3)
(A) To one (1) child if there is no widow or widower, fifty percent (50%).
(B) If more than one (1) child, and there is no widow or widower, fifteen percent (15%) for each child, and in addition thereto, thirty-five percent (35%) to the children as a class, to be divided equally among them;
(4) To the parents, twenty-five percent (25%) each;
(5) To brothers, sisters, grandchildren, and grandparents, fifteen percent (15%) each.
(d) Terminations of Dependence.
(1) In the event the widow remarries before full and complete payment to her of the benefits provided in subsection (c) of this section, there shall be paid to her a lump sum equal to compensation for one hundred four (104) weeks, subject to the limitation set out in §§ 11-9-501 — 11-9-506.
(2) A physically or mentally incapacitated child, grandchild, brother, or sister shall be entitled to compensation as a dependent of the deceased employee without regard to age or marital status, but if physically or mentally capacitated to earn a livelihood, dependency shall terminate with the attainment of eighteen (18) years of age or upon marriage. However, benefits to an otherwise eligible child shall not terminate at the age of eighteen (18) years provided the child is a full-time student who has not attained the age of twenty-five (25) years.
(e) Apportionment of Benefits. Where, because of the limitation in subsection (c) of this section, a person or class of persons cannot receive the percentage of compensation specified as payable to or on account of the person or class, there shall be available to the person or class that proportion of the percentage which, when added to the total percentage payable to all persons having priority or preference, will not exceed a total of sixty-five percent (65%), which proportion shall be paid:
(1) To that person; or
(2) To that class in equal shares unless the Workers' Compensation Commission determines otherwise in accordance with the provisions of subsection (f) of this section.
(f) Determination of Beneficiaries Within Class. If the commission determines that payments in accordance with subdivision (e)(2) of this section would provide no substantial benefit to any person of the class, it may provide for the payment of the compensation to the persons within the class whom it considers will be most benefited by the payment.
(g) Cessation of Compensation to Part. Upon the cessation of compensation under this section to or on account of any person, the compensation of the remaining persons entitled to compensation for the unexpired part of the period during which their compensation is payable shall be that which the persons would have received if they had been the only persons entitled to compensation at the time of the decedent's death.
(h) Determination of Dependency. All questions of dependency shall be determined as of the time of the injury.
(i) Partial Dependency.
(1) If the employee leaves dependents who are only partially dependent upon his or her earnings for support at the time of injury, the compensation payable for partial dependency shall be in the proportion that the partial dependency bears to total dependency.
(2) In any claim for partial dependency where the average weekly contributions for support were not such as to entitle all dependents to compensation in the aggregate sum of seven dollars ($7.00) per week, the dependents shall receive compensation for a period not to exceed four hundred fifty (450) weeks in an amount not to exceed the amount of average weekly contributions of the deceased employee for the support of the dependents.