Bill > H7773

This bill modifies existing workers' compensation laws in Rhode Island concerning situations where an injured worker receives compensation and also recovers damages from a third party responsible for their injury. Specifically, it clarifies that when a worker recovers damages from a third party, any money awarded for past or future pain and suffering, loss of consortium (the loss of companionship and support of a spouse or family member), loss of society, lost wages or earning capacity, or other damages not fully covered by workers' compensation, will not be subject to reimbursement to the entity that paid the workers' compensation. Furthermore, the amount that must be reimbursed will be reduced by the worker's percentage of comparative negligence, meaning if the worker is found partially at fault for their injury, their reimbursement obligation is lessened. Any disagreements about how to divide the reimbursement amount will be handled in the court overseeing the original third-party claim. The bill also renumbers existing subsections of the law and states that it will become effective immediately upon its passage.

Labor and Employment

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