§ 14-129 — Determination of compensability - Offset - Subrogation

Except as provided in Section 14-128 of this Act with respect to occupational death claims, and except as provided in Section 14-123.1 for temporary disability benefits, before the board takes any action on an application for an occupational disability or occupational death benefit, adjudication by the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission or a ruling by the agency responsible for determining the liability of the State under the Workers' Compensation Act or the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act shall be had on a claim to establish that the disability or death was incurred while in the performance and within the scope of the member's duties, under the terms of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act or the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act, whichever applies. The system shall make payment of an occupational disability or occupational death benefit only if the claim is found to be compensable under one or both of those Acts. Any amounts provided for a member or his dependents under those Acts shall be applied for the period of time prescribed by such Acts for payments thereunder as an offset to any occupational disability or occupational death benefit or to a survivors annuity or annuities provided in this Article in such manner as may be prescribed by the rules of the board. In those cases where the injury or death for which an occupational disability or death benefit is payable under this Article was caused under circumstances creating a legal liability for damages on the part of some person other than the employer, all of the rights and privileges, including the right to notice of suit brought against such other person and the right to commence or join in such suit, as given the employer, together with the conditions or obligations imposed under paragraph (b) of Section 5 of the "Workers' Compensation Act", are also given and granted to the System, to the end that the System created by this Article may be paid or reimbursed for the amount of temporary disability, occupational disability or death benefit paid or to be paid by the System to the injured employee, or his personal representative in the event of death, including any contribution amounts credited to the account of the member under Section 14-127, out of any judgment, settlement, or payment for such injury or death obtained by such injured employee or his personal representative from such other person, or be paid or reimbursed for such amount paid or to be paid by the System to the surviving spouse or children of such employee by virtue of the injury or the death of such employee from such injury.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 93-721, eff. 1-1-05.)