§ 29-34-304 — Prima facie showing of impairment or disease required - Compliance with standards in determining impairment - Exhumation not authorized

(a) No person shall bring or maintain a civil action alleging a silica or mixed dust disease claim based on a nonmalignant condition in the absence of a prima facie showing that, in the opinion of a competent medical authority, the exposed person has a physical impairment, and that the person's exposure to silica or mixed dust is a substantial contributing factor to the physical impairment. The prima facie showing shall include: (1) Evidence that a competent medical authority has taken from the exposed person a detailed medical history, which includes, to the extent necessary to render the opinion referred to in this subsection (a), the occupational and exposure history of the exposed person. If the exposed person is deceased, the occupational and exposure history of the exposed person shall be taken from the person or persons who are most knowledgeable about these areas of the exposed person's life; (2) Evidence verifying that there has been a sufficient latency period in the context of the chronic, accelerated, or acute forms of the silicosis or mixed dust disease; (3) A diagnosis by a competent medical authority, based on the detailed medical history, a medical examination, and pulmonary function testing, that both of the following apply to the exposed person: (A) The exposed person has a permanent respiratory impairment rating of at least Class 2, as defined by and evaluated pursuant to the AMA guides to the evaluation of permanent impairment; and (B) The exposed person has silicosis or mixed dust disease based at a minimum on radiological or pathological evidence of silicosis or radiological or pathological evidence of mixed dust disease; and (4) Verification that the competent medical authority has concluded that exposure to silica or mixed dust was a substantial contributing factor to the exposed person's impairment. A diagnosis that states that the medical findings and impairment are consistent with or compatible with silica or mixed dust exposure does not meet the requirements of this subdivision (a)(4). (b) No person shall bring or maintain a civil action alleging that silica or mixed dust caused that person to contract lung cancer in the absence of a prima facie showing that, in the opinion of a competent medical authority, the person has a primary lung cancer, and that the person's exposure to silica or mixed dust is a substantial contributing factor to the lung cancer. The prima facie showing shall include: (1) Evidence that a competent medical authority has taken from the exposed person a detailed medical history, which includes, to the extent necessary to render the opinion referred to in this subsection (b), the occupational and exposure history of the exposed person. If the exposed person is deceased, the occupational and exposure history of the exposed person shall be taken from the person or persons who are most knowledgeable about these areas of the exposed person's life; (2) Evidence sufficient to demonstrate that at least ten (10) years have elapsed from the date of the exposed person's first exposure to silica or mixed dust until the date of diagnosis of the exposed person's primary lung cancer; (3) Radiological or pathological evidence of silicosis or of mixed dust disease; (4) Evidence of the exposed person's substantial occupational exposure to silica or mixed dust; and (5) Verification that the competent medical authority has concluded that exposure to silica or mixed dust was a substantial contributing factor to the exposed person's lung cancer. A diagnosis that states that the cancer is consistent with or compatible with silica or mixed dust exposure does not meet the requirements of this subdivision (b)(5). (c) No person shall bring or maintain a civil action alleging a silica or mixed dust disease claim based on the wrongful death of an exposed person in the absence of a prima facie showing that, in the opinion of a competent medical authority, the death of the exposed person was the result of a physical impairment, and that the person's exposure to silica or mixed dust was a substantial contributing factor to the physical impairment causing the person's death. The prima facie showing shall include: (1) Evidence that a competent medical authority has taken from the exposed person a detailed medical history, which includes, to the extent necessary to render the opinion referred to in this subsection (c), the occupational and exposure history of the exposed person. If the exposed person is deceased, the occupational and exposure history of the exposed person shall be taken from the person or persons who are most knowledgeable about these areas of the exposed person's life; (2) Evidence sufficient to demonstrate that at least ten (10) years have elapsed from the date of the exposed person's first exposure to silica or mixed dust until the date of diagnosis of the exposed person's primary lung cancer or, if the death is not alleged to be cancer-related, evidence verifying that there has been a sufficient latency period in the context of the chronic, accelerated, or acute forms of the silicosis or mixed dust disease; (3) Radiological or pathological evidence of silicosis or radiological or pathological evidence of mixed dust disease; (4) Evidence of the exposed person's substantial occupational exposure to silica or mixed dust; and (5) Verification that the competent medical authority has concluded that exposure to silica or mixed dust was a substantial contributing factor to the exposed person's death. A diagnosis that states that the medical findings, impairment, or lung cancer are consistent with or compatible with silica or mixed dust exposure does not meet the requirements of this subdivision (c)(5). (d) Evidence relating to any physical impairment under this part, including pulmonary function testing and diffusing studies, shall comply with the technical recommendations for examinations, testing procedures, quality assurance, quality control, and equipment incorporated in the AMA guides to the evaluation of permanent impairment and the official statements of the American Thoracic Society regarding lung function testing, including general considerations for lung function testing, standardization of spirometry, standardization of the measurement of lung volumes, standardization of the single-breath determination of carbon monoxide uptake in the lung, and interpretative strategies for lung testing in effect at the time of the performance of any examination or test on the exposed person required under this part. (e) Nothing in this part shall be interpreted as authorizing the exhumation of bodies.

Legislative History

Acts 2006, ch. 728, § 5.