A. No compensation shall be awarded to the employee or his dependents for an injury or death caused by:
1. The employee's willful misconduct or intentional self-inflicted injury;
2. The employee's attempt to injure another;
3. The employee's intoxication;
4. The employee's willful failure or refusal to use a safety appliance or perform a duty required by statute;
5. The employee's willful breach of any reasonable rule or regulation adopted by the employer and brought, prior to the accident, to the knowledge of the employee; or
6. The employee's use of a nonprescribed controlled substance identified as such in Chapter 34 (§ 54.1-3400 et seq.) of Title 54.1.
B. The person or entity asserting any of the defenses in this section shall have the burden of proof with respect thereto. However, if the employer raises as a defense the employee's intoxication or use of a nonprescribed controlled substance identified as such in Chapter 34 of Title 54.1, and there was at the time of the injury an amount of alcohol or nonprescribed controlled substance in the bodily fluids of the employee which (i) is equal to or greater than the standard set forth in § 18.2-266, or (ii) in the case of use of a nonprescribed controlled substance, yields a positive test result from a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) certified laboratory, there shall be a rebuttable presumption, which presumption shall not be available if the employee dies as a result of his injuries, that the employee was intoxicated due to the consumption of alcohol or using a nonprescribed controlled substance at the time of his injury. The employee may overcome such a presumption by clear and convincing evidence.
Code 1950, § 65-35; 1968, c. 660, § 65.1-38; 1991, cc. 166, 355; 1994, cc. 600, 804; 2002, c. 636.
Structure Code of Virginia
Title 65.2 - Workers' Compensation
Chapter 3 - Application and Effect of Title
§ 65.2-300. Presumption of acceptance of provisions of title; exemptions; notice and rejection
§ 65.2-301. Victims of sexual assault
§ 65.2-301.1. Public safety officers
§ 65.2-301.2. Employee classification; disaster; personal protective equipment not considered
§ 65.2-302. Statutory employer
§ 65.2-303. Recovery from subcontractor; proceedings against owner or contractor
§ 65.2-304. Indemnity of principal from subcontractor
§ 65.2-306. When compensation not allowed for injury or death; burden of proof
§ 65.2-307. Employee's rights under Act exclude all others; exception
§ 65.2-308. Discharge of employee for exercising rights prohibited; civil action; relief
§ 65.2-310. Protection of employer when employee sues third party
§ 65.2-311. Expenses and attorney's fees in action under § 65.2-309 or § 65.2-310
§ 65.2-312. False statements, representations, etc., in connection with an award; penalties