(a) In the event a member in covered employment becomes totally physically or mentally incapacitated for his or her duty as an employee as the natural and proximate result of a personal injury or disease which has arisen out of and in the course of his or her actual performance of duty as an employee, in the event the disability will probably not be permanent, and in the event periodic payments are payable under any workers' compensation or similar law on account of the same disability, then the disability time shall be credited as service under this subchapter upon proper application filed with the Board of Trustees of the Arkansas Local Police and Fire Retirement System by or on behalf of the member.
(b) All determinations concerning the nature of the disability shall be made by the board.
(c) During the period of disability, his or her contributions based on reportable pays to the Arkansas Local Police and Fire Retirement System shall continue, and any balance remaining to his or her credit in the system shall continue to accrue regular interest.
(d) Service credit granted under this section shall not be considered as credited service for the purpose of determining the member's final average pay.
(e) Should the member die while so disabled, he or she shall be considered a member in covered employment at the time of death.