Current through P.L. 171-2024
Section 22-3-4-13 - Reports of injuries and deaths; violations of article(a) Every employer shall keep a record of all injuries, fatal or otherwise, received by or claimed to have been received by the employer's employees in the course of their employment and shall provide a copy of the record to the board upon request. Within seven (7) days after the employer's knowledge of the injury, either actual, alleged, or reported under IC 22-3-3-1, that causes an employee's death or the need for medical care beyond first aid, a report concerning the injury shall be made in writing and mailed, or submitted electronically, to the employer's insurance carrier or, if the employer is self insured, delivered to the worker's compensation board in the manner provided in subsections (b) and (c). The reporting requirements under this subsection are intended to be consistent with the recording requirements set out in the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations found at 29 CFR 1904.7. The insurance carrier shall deliver the report to the worker's compensation board in the manner provided in subsections (b) and (c) not later than seven (7) days after receipt of the report or fourteen (14) days after the employer's knowledge of the injury, whichever is later. An employer or insurance carrier that fails to comply with this subsection is subject to a civil penalty under section 15 of this chapter.(b) All insurance carriers, companies who carry risk without insurance, and third party administrators reporting accident information to the board in compliance with subsection (a) shall report the information using electronic data interchange standards prescribed by the board.(c) The report shall contain the name, nature, and location of the business of the employer, the name, age, sex, wages, occupation of the injured employee, the date and hour of the accident causing the alleged injury, the nature and cause of the injury, and such other information as may be required by the board.(d) A person who violates any provision of this article, except IC 22-3-5-1, IC 22-3-7-34(b), or IC 22-3-7-34(c), commits a Class C misdemeanor. A person who violates IC 22-3-5-1, IC 22-3-7-34(b), or IC 22-3-7-34(c) commits a Class A misdemeanor. The worker's compensation board in the name of the state may seek relief from any court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin any violation of this article.(e) The venue of all actions under this section lies in the county in which the employee was injured. The prosecuting attorney of the county shall prosecute all such violations upon written request of the worker's compensation board. Such violations shall be prosecuted in the name of the state.(f) In an action before the board against an employer who at the time of the injury to or occupational disease of an employee had failed to comply with IC 22-3-5-1, IC 22-3-7-34(b), or IC 22-3-7-34(c), the board may award to the employee or the dependents of a deceased employee: (1) compensation not to exceed double the compensation provided by this article;(2) medical expenses; and(3) reasonable attorney fees in addition to the compensation and medical expenses.(g) In an action under subsection (d), the court may:(1) require the employer to obtain coverage and furnish proof of insurance as required by IC 22-3-5-1 and IC 22-3-7-34(b) or IC 22-3-7-34(c) every six (6) months for a period not to exceed three (3) years;(2) require satisfactory proof of the employer's financial ability to pay any compensation or medical expenses in the amount and manner, and when due, as provided for in IC 22-3, for all injuries which occurred during any period of noncompliance; and(3) require the employer to deposit with the worker's compensation board an acceptable security, indemnity, or bond to secure the payment of such compensation and medical expense liabilities.(h) The penalty provision of subsection (d) shall apply only to the employer and shall not apply for a failure to exact a certificate of insurance under IC 22-3-2-14 or IC 22-3-7-34(i) or IC 22-3-7-34(j).(i) In an action under subsection (d), if a compensable worker's compensation or occupational disease claim has been filed and the employer fails or refuses to pay benefits when due, a court may order the employer to temporarily cease doing business in Indiana until the employer: (1) furnishes proof of insurance as required by IC 22-3-5-1 and IC 22-3-7-34(b) or IC 22-3-7-34(c); and(2) provides any other assurances required by the board to establish that the employer has the ability to meet all worker's compensation liabilities incurred during the employer's period of noncompliance.(j) An appeal of the court's decision under subsection (i) to enjoin the employer from doing business in Indiana automatically stays the court's order.Amended by P.L. 204-2018,SEC. 7, eff. 7/1/2018.Amended by P.L. 168-2011, SEC. 7, eff. 7/1/2011.(Formerly: Acts 1929, c.172, s.66; Acts 1937, c.214, s.5; Acts 1943, c.136, s.6.) As amended by Acts1978 , P.L. 2, SEC.2210; Acts1982 , P.L. 135, SEC.1; P.L. 145-1986, SEC.1; P.L. 28-1988, SEC.40; P.L. 170-1991, SEC.11; P.L. 75-1993, SEC.3; P.L. 1-1994, SEC.108; P.L. 235-1999, SEC.4; P.L. 1-2007, SEC.159; P.L. 1-2010, SEC.85.