1. The Division shall designate one:
(a) Third-party administrator who has a valid certificate issued by the Commissioner pursuant to NRS 683A.085; or
(b) Insurer, other than a self-insured employer or association of self-insured public or private employers,
to administer claims against the Uninsured Employers’ Claim Account. The designation must be made pursuant to reasonable competitive bidding procedures established by the Administrator.
2. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, an employee may receive compensation from the Uninsured Employers’ Claim Account if:
(a) The employee was hired in this State or is regularly employed in this State;
(b) The employee suffers an accident or injury which arises out of and in the course of his or her employment:
(1) In this State; or
(2) While on temporary assignment outside the State for not more than 12 months;
(c) The employee files a claim for compensation with the Division; and
(d) The employee makes an irrevocable assignment to the Division of a right to be subrogated to the rights of the injured employee pursuant to NRS 616C.215.
An employee who suffers an accident or injury while on temporary assignment outside the State is not eligible to receive compensation from the Uninsured Employers’ Claim Account unless the employee has been denied workers’ compensation in the state in which the accident or injury occurred.
3. If the Division receives a claim pursuant to subsection 2, the Division shall immediately notify the employer of the claim.
4. For the purposes of this section and NRS 616C.223, the employer has the burden of proving that the employer provided mandatory industrial insurance coverage for the employee or that the employer was not required to maintain industrial insurance for the employee.
5. Any employer who has failed to provide mandatory coverage required by the provisions of chapters 616A to 616D, inclusive, of NRS is liable for all payments made on behalf of the employer, including any benefits, administrative costs or attorney’s fees paid from the Uninsured Employers’ Claim Account or incurred by the Division.
6. The Division:
(a) May recover from the employer the payments made by the Division that are described in subsection 5 and any accrued interest by bringing a civil action or filing an application for the entry of summary judgment pursuant to NRS 616C.223 in a court of competent jurisdiction. For the purposes of this paragraph, the payments made by the Division that are described in subsection 5 are presumed to be:
(1) Justified by the circumstances of the claim;
(2) Made in accordance with applicable law; and
(3) Reasonable and necessary.
(b) In any civil action or application for the entry of summary judgment filed pursuant to NRS 616C.223 against the employer, is not required to prove that negligent conduct by the employer was the cause of the employee’s injury.
(c) May enter into a contract with any person to assist in the collection of any liability of an uninsured employer.
(d) In lieu of a civil action or filing an application for the entry of summary judgment pursuant to NRS 616C.223, may enter into an agreement or settlement regarding the collection of any liability of an uninsured employer.
7. The Division shall:
(a) Determine whether the employer was insured within 30 days after receiving notice of the claim from the employee.
(b) Assign the claim to the third-party administrator or insurer designated pursuant to subsection 1 for administration and payment of compensation.
Upon determining whether the claim is accepted or denied, the designated third-party administrator or insurer shall notify the injured employee, the named employer and the Division of its determination.
8. Upon demonstration of the:
(a) Costs incurred by the designated third-party administrator or insurer to administer the claim or pay compensation to the injured employee; or
(b) Amount that the designated third-party administrator or insurer will pay for administrative expenses or compensation to the injured employee and that such amounts are justified by the circumstances of the claim,
the Division shall authorize payment from the Uninsured Employers’ Claim Account.
9. Any party aggrieved by a determination made by the Division regarding the assignment of any claim made pursuant to this section may appeal that determination by filing a notice of appeal with an appeals officer within 30 days after the determination is rendered. The provisions of NRS 616C.345 to 616C.385, inclusive, apply to an appeal filed pursuant to this subsection.
10. Any party aggrieved by a determination to accept or to deny any claim made pursuant to this section or by a determination to pay or to deny the payment of compensation regarding any claim made pursuant to this section may appeal that determination, within 70 days after the determination is rendered, to the Hearings Division of the Department of Administration in the manner provided by NRS 616C.305 and 616C.315.
11. All insurers shall bear a proportionate amount of a claim made pursuant to chapters 616A to 616D, inclusive, of NRS, and are entitled to a proportionate amount of any collection made pursuant to this section as an offset against future liabilities.
12. An uninsured employer is liable for the interest on any amount paid on his or her claims from the Uninsured Employers’ Claim Account. The interest must be calculated at a rate equal to the prime rate at the largest bank in Nevada, as ascertained by the Commissioner of Financial Institutions, on January 1 or July 1, as the case may be, immediately preceding the date of the claim, plus 3 percent, compounded monthly, from the date the claim is paid from the account until payment is received by the Division from the employer.
13. Attorney’s fees recoverable by the Division pursuant to this section must be:
(a) If a private attorney is retained by the Division, paid at the usual and customary rate for that attorney.
(b) If the attorney is an employee of the Division, paid at the rate established by regulations adopted by the Division.
Any money collected must be deposited to the Uninsured Employers’ Claim Account.
14. If the Division has not obtained a civil judgment or an entry of summary judgment pursuant to NRS 616C.223 and the Division assigns a debt that arises under this section to the State Controller for collection pursuant to NRS 353C.195, the State Controller may bring an action in his or her own name in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover any amount that the Division is authorized to recover pursuant to this section.
(Added to NRS by 1975, 599; A 1981, 1197, 1830; 1991, 2408; 1993, 716, 1863; 1995, 579; 1997, 1436; 1999, 1726; 2001, 2739, 2767; 2003, 195, 2306; 2009, 1182; 2011, 893)
Structure Nevada Revised Statutes
Chapter 616C - Industrial Insurance: Benefits for Injuries or Death
NRS 616C.035 - Application for death benefit.
NRS 616C.085 - Duties of employer when employee injured: First aid; reimbursement.
NRS 616C.115 - Prescription of generic drugs required; exceptions.
NRS 616C.117 - Prescription of drugs dispensed directly to injured employee; limitations.
NRS 616C.120 - Employee may elect treatment through prayer in lieu of medical treatment.
NRS 616C.185 - Compensation for mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.
NRS 616C.190 - Compensation of employee injured out of State.
NRS 616C.210 - Compensation of nonresident alien dependents; notification of dependent required.
NRS 616C.300 - Hearing officers: Appointment; salary; disqualification from particular case.
NRS 616C.370 - Judicial review.
NRS 616C.375 - Stay of decision of appeals officer.
NRS 616C.380 - Payment pending appeal when decision not stayed; effect of final resolution of claim.
NRS 616C.385 - Costs and attorney’s fees for frivolous petitions for judicial review.
NRS 616C.400 - Minimum duration of incapacity; exceptions.
NRS 616C.405 - Limitations on benefits received by employee.
NRS 616C.408 - Restrictive endorsements on checks issued by insurers.
NRS 616C.409 - Direct deposit of compensation.
NRS 616C.410 - Prohibition of settlements paid in lump sum; exceptions.
NRS 616C.415 - Written explanation of alternative settlements to be given to employee or dependents.
NRS 616C.420 - Method of determining average monthly wage.
NRS 616C.425 - Date of determination of amount of compensation and benefits.
NRS 616C.435 - Injuries deemed total and permanent.
NRS 616C.455 - Increase in benefits for permanent total disability incurred before April 9, 1971.
NRS 616C.473 - Annual increase in benefits for permanent total disability.
NRS 616C.485 - Permanent partial disability: Loss of or permanent damage to teeth.
NRS 616C.495 - Permanent partial disability: Payments in lump sum.
NRS 616C.505 - Amount and duration of compensation.
NRS 616C.508 - Annual increase in death benefits.
NRS 616C.510 - Increased death benefits if injury or disablement occurred before July 1, 1973.
NRS 616C.520 - Increased death benefits if injury or disablement occurred on or after July 1, 1973.
NRS 616C.530 - Priorities for returning injured employee to work.
NRS 616C.541 - Appointment of vocational rehabilitation counselor.
NRS 616C.543 - Prohibited acts of vocational rehabilitation counselor.
NRS 616C.547 - General duties of vocational rehabilitation counselor.
NRS 616C.560 - Extension of program for vocational rehabilitation.
NRS 616C.570 - On-the-job training as component of plan for program of vocational rehabilitation.
NRS 616C.575 - Payment of vocational rehabilitation maintenance.
NRS 616C.580 - Provision of services outside of State; limited lump-sum payment in lieu of services.
NRS 616C.585 - Limit on goods and services which may be provided; exceptions.
NRS 616C.700 - Duties of insurer who accepts a claim for catastrophic injury; life care plan.
NRS 616C.710 - Rescission or revision of determination of catastrophic injury.
NRS 616C.720 - Requirements for adjuster who administers claim for catastrophic injury.