85.26 Limitation of actions — who may maintain action.
1. An original proceeding for benefits under this chapter or chapter 85A, 85B, or 86, shall not be maintained in any contested case unless the proceeding is commenced within two years from the date of the occurrence of the injury for which benefits are claimed or, if weekly compensation benefits are paid under section 86.13, within three years from the date of the last payment of weekly compensation benefits. For the purposes of this section, “date of the occurrence of the injury” means the date that the employee knew or should have known that the injury was work-related.
2. An award for payments or an agreement for settlement provided by section 86.13 for benefits under this chapter or chapter 85A or 85B, where the amount has not been commuted, may be reviewed upon commencement of reopening proceedings by the employer or the employee within three years from the date of the last payment of weekly benefits made under the award or agreement. If an award for payments or agreement for settlement as provided by section 86.13 for benefits under this chapter or chapter 85A or 85B has been made and the amount has not been commuted, or if a denial of liability is not filed with the workers’ compensation commissioner and notice of the denial is not mailed to the employee, in the form and manner required by the commissioner, within six months of the commencement of weekly compensation benefits, the commissioner may at any time upon proper application make a determination and appropriate order concerning the entitlement of an employee to benefits provided for in section 85.27. The failure to file a denial of liability does not constitute an admission of liability under this chapter or chapter 85A, 85B, or 86.
3. Notwithstanding chapter 17A, the filing with the workers’ compensation commissioner of the original notice or petition for an original proceeding or an original notice or petition to reopen an award or agreement of settlement provided by section 86.13, for benefits under this chapter or chapter 85A or 85B is the only act constituting commencement for purposes of this section.
4. No claim or proceedings for benefits shall be maintained by any person other than the injured employee, or the employee’s dependent or legal representative if entitled to benefits.
[S13, §2477-m34; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §1386, 1457; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §85.26, 86.34; C79, 81, §85.26; 82 Acts, ch 1161, §3]
83 Acts, ch 105, §3; 84 Acts, ch 1067, §15; 98 Acts, ch 1061, §3, 11; 2017 Acts, ch 23, §4, 24; 2021 Acts, ch 76, §17
Referred to in §85.27, 85.34, 85.35, 85.59, 85.72, 86.13
2017 amendment to subsection 1 applies to injuries occurring on or after July 1, 2017;
2017 Acts, ch 23, §24
Subsection 3 amended
Structure Iowa Code
Title III - PUBLIC SERVICES AND REGULATION
Chapter 85 - WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
Section 85.1 - Inapplicability of chapter.
Section 85.2 - Public employees — chapter compulsory.
Section 85.3 - Acceptance presumed — notice to nonresident employers.
Section 85.16 - Willful injury — intoxication.
Section 85.18 - Contract to relieve not operative.
Section 85.20 - Rights of employee exclusive.
Section 85.21 - Payments concerning liability disputes.
Section 85.22 - Liability of others — subrogation.
Section 85.23 - Notice of injury — failure to give.
Section 85.24 - Form of notice.
Section 85.25 - Service of notice.
Section 85.26 - Limitation of actions — who may maintain action.
Section 85.27 - Services — release of information — charges — payment — debt collection prohibited.
Section 85.28 - Burial expense.
Section 85.29 - Liability in case of no dependents.
Section 85.30 - Maturity date and interest.
Section 85.31 - Death cases — dependents.
Section 85.32 - When compensation begins.
Section 85.33 - Temporary total and temporary partial disability.
Section 85.34 - Permanent disabilities.
Section 85.36 - Basis of computation.
Section 85.37 - Compensation schedule.
Section 85.38 - Reduction of obligations of employer.
Section 85.39 - Examination of injured employees.
Section 85.40 - Statement of earnings.
Section 85.41 - Refusal to furnish statement.
Section 85.42 - Conclusively presumed dependent.
Section 85.43 - Payment to spouse.
Section 85.44 - Payment to actual dependents.
Section 85.47 - Basis of commutation.
Section 85.48 - Partial commutation.
Section 85.49 - Trustees for minors and dependents.
Section 85.50 - Report of trustee.
Section 85.51 - Alien dependents in foreign country.
Section 85.52 - Consular officer as trustee.
Section 85.53 - Notice to consular officer.
Section 85.54 - Contracts to avoid compensation.
Section 85.55 - Franchisor-franchisee relationship.
Section 85.56 - Employees in interstate commerce.
Section 85.59 - Benefits for inmates and offenders.
Section 85.62 - Inmates of county jail.
Section 85.64 - Limitation of benefits.
Section 85.65 - Payments to second injury fund.
Section 85.65A - Payments to second injury fund — surcharge on employers.
Section 85.66 - Second injury fund — creation — custodian.
Section 85.67 - Administration of fund — special counsel — payment of award.
Section 85.68 - Actions — collection of payments — subrogation.
Section 85.69 - Federal contributions.
Section 85.71 - Injury outside of state.
Section 85.72 - Claims for benefits made outside of state — restrictions — credit.