Senate Bill No. by Senator Seabaugh amends Louisiana's workers' compensation laws to enhance benefits and clarify provisions related to disability and rehabilitation. Key changes include the introduction of additional medical opinions for disputes regarding an employee's condition, diagnosis, and capacity to work. The bill increases burial expense coverage from $8,000 to $12,500 and establishes new provisions for temporary partial disability benefits, replacing the previous supplemental earnings benefits. It also sets a maximum duration for permanent total disability benefits at 450 weeks and outlines specific circumstances under which temporary total disability benefits may cease, such as engagement in self-employment or reaching maximum medical improvement.

Additionally, the bill mandates that employers provide vocational rehabilitation services to injured employees and allows for a reduction in benefits if an employee fails to cooperate with these services. It raises the lump sum payment to surviving children and parents of deceased employees from $75,000 to $100,000. The proposed changes aim to improve support for injured workers and their families while ensuring the workers' compensation system remains effective and equitable. The new provisions are set to take effect on August 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
SB315 Original: 23:1221(1), 23:1226(A), 23:1231(B)(2)