Sec. 13. (a) Whenever an injury or death, for which compensation is payable under chapters 2 through 6 of this article shall have been sustained under circumstances creating in some other person than the employer and not in the same employ a legal liability to pay damages in respect thereto, the injured employee, or the injured employee’s dependents, in case of death, may commence legal proceedings against the other person to recover damages notwithstanding the employer’s or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier’s payment of or liability to pay compensation under chapters 2 through 6 of this article. In that case, however, if the action against the other person is brought by the injured employee or the injured employee’s dependents and judgment is obtained and paid, and accepted or settlement is made with the other person, either with or without suit, then from the amount received by the employee or dependents there shall be paid to the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier, subject to its paying its pro-rata share of the reasonable and necessary costs and expenses of asserting the third party claim, the amount of compensation paid to the employee or dependents, plus the services and products and burial expenses paid by the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier and the liability of the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier to pay further compensation or other expenses shall thereupon terminate, whether or not one (1) or all of the dependents are entitled to share in the proceeds of the settlement or recovery and whether or not one (1) or all of the dependents could have maintained the action or claim for wrongful death.

     (b) In the event the injured employee or the employee’s dependents, not having received compensation or services and products or death benefits from the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier, shall procure a judgment against the other party for injury or death, which judgment is paid, or if settlement is made with the other person either with or without suit, then the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier shall have no liability for payment of compensation or for payment of services and products or death benefits whatsoever, whether or not one (1) or all of the dependents are entitled to share in the proceeds of settlement or recovery and whether or not one (1) or all of the dependents could have maintained the action or claim for wrongful death.

     (c) In the event any injured employee, or in the event of the employee’s death, the employee’s dependents, shall procure a final judgment against the other person other than by agreement, and the judgment is for a lesser sum than the amount for which the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier is liable for compensation and for services and products, as of the date the judgment becomes final, then the employee, or in the event of the employee’s death, the employee’s dependents, shall have the option of either collecting the judgment and repaying the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier for compensation previously drawn, if any, and repaying the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier for services and products previously paid, if any, and of repaying the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier the burial benefits paid, if any, or of assigning all rights under the judgment to the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier and thereafter receiving all compensation and services and products, to which the employee or in the event of the employee’s death, which the employee’s dependents would be entitled if there had been no action brought against the other party.

     (d) If the injured employee or the employee’s dependents shall agree to receive compensation from the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier or to accept from the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier, by loan or otherwise, any payment on account of the compensation, or institute proceedings to recover the same, the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier shall have a lien upon any settlement award, judgment or fund out of which the employee might be compensated from the third party.

     (e) The employee, or in the event of the employee’s death, the employee’s dependents, shall institute legal proceedings against the other person for damages, within two (2) years after the cause of action accrues. If, after the proceeding is commenced, it is dismissed, the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier, having paid compensation or having become liable therefor, may collect in their own name, or in the name of the injured employee, or, in case of death, in the name of the employee’s dependents, from the other person in whom legal liability for damages exists, the compensation paid or payable to the injured employee, or the employee’s dependents, plus services and products, and burial expenses paid by the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier or for which they have become liable. The employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier may commence an action at law for collection against the other person in whom legal liability for damages exists, not later than one (1) year from the date the action so commenced has been dismissed, notwithstanding the provisions of any statute of limitations to the contrary.

     (f) If the employee, or, in the event of the employee’s death, the employee’s dependents, shall fail to institute legal proceedings against the other person for damages within two (2) years after the cause of action accrues, the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier, having paid compensation, or having been liable therefor, may collect in their own name or in the name of the injured employee, or in the case of the employee’s death, in the name of the employee’s dependents, from the other person in whom legal liability for damage exists, the compensation paid or payable to the injured employee, or to the employee’s dependents, plus the services and products, and burial expenses, paid by them, or for which they have become liable, and the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier may commence an action at law for collection against the other person in whom legal liability exists, at any time within one (1) year from the date of the expiration of the two (2) years when the action accrued to the injured employee, or, in the event of the employee’s death, to the employee’s dependents, notwithstanding the provisions of any statute of limitations to the contrary.

     (g) In actions brought by the employee or the employee’s dependents, the employee or the employee’s dependents shall, within thirty (30) days after the action is filed, notify the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier by personal service or registered mail, of the action and the name of the court in which such suit is brought, filing proof thereof in the action.

     (h) The employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier shall pay its pro rata share of all costs and reasonably necessary expenses in connection with asserting the third party claim, action or suit, including but not limited to cost of depositions and witness fees, and to the attorney at law selected by the employee or the employee’s dependents, a fee of twenty-five percent (25%), if collected without suit, of the amount of benefits actually repaid after the expenses and costs in connection with the third party claim have been deducted therefrom, and a fee of thirty-three and one-third percent (33 1/3%), if collected with suit, of the amount of benefits actually repaid after deduction of costs and reasonably necessary expenses in connection with the third party claim action or suit. The employer may, within ninety (90) days after receipt of notice of suit from the employee or the employee’s dependents, join in the action upon the employer’s motion so that all orders of court after hearing and judgment shall be made for the employer’s protection. An employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier may waive its right to reimbursement under this section and, as a result of the waiver, not have to pay the pro-rata share of costs and expenses.

     (i) No release or settlement of claim for damages by reason of injury or death, and no satisfaction of judgment in the proceedings, shall be valid without the written consent of both employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier and employee or the employee’s dependents, except in the case of the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier, consent shall not be required where the employer or the employer’s compensation insurance carrier has been fully indemnified or protected by court order.

Formerly: Acts 1929, c.172, s.13; Acts 1945, c.188, s.4; Acts 1951, c.258, s.1; Acts 1955, c.240, s.1; Acts 1963, c.387, s.3; Acts 1969, c.94, s.1; Acts 1974, P.L.108, SEC.5. As amended by Acts 1977, P.L.260, SEC.1; P.L.31-2000, SEC.1; P.L.275-2013, SEC.1; P.L.139-2020, SEC.1.