§ 97-72. Appointment of advisory medical committee; terms of office; duties and functions; salaries and expenses.
§ 97‑72. Appointment ofadvisory medical committee; terms of office; duties and functions; salaries andexpenses.
(a) There shall be anadvisory medical committee consisting of three members, who shall be licensedphysicians in good professional standing and peculiarly qualified in thediagnosis or treatment of occupational diseases. They shall be appointed by theIndustrial Commission with the approval of the Governor, and one of them shallbe designated as chairman of the committee by the Industrial Commission. Themembers of committee shall be appointed to serve terms as follows: one for aterm of two years, one for a term of four years, and one for a term of sixyears. Upon the expiration of each term as above mentioned the IndustrialCommission shall appoint a successor for a term of six years. The function ofthe committee shall be to conduct examinations and make reports as required byG.S. 97‑61.1 through 97‑61.6 and 97‑68 through 97‑71,and to assist in any postmortem examinations provided for in G.S. 97‑67when so directed by the Industrial Commission. Members of the committee shalldevote to the duties of the office so much of their time as may be required inthe conducting of examinations with reasonable promptness, and they shallattend hearings as scheduled by the Industrial Commission when their attendanceis desired for the purpose of examining and cross‑examining themrespecting any report or reports made by them.
(b) Repealed by SessionLaws 2003‑284, s. 10.33(c), effective July 1, 2003.
(c) Notwithstanding anyother provision of this Article, the Industrial Commission, in its discretion,may designate a qualified physician who is not a member of the advisory medicalcommittee to perform an examination of an employee who has filed a claim for benefitsfor asbestosis or silicosis. This physician shall file his reports in the samemanner a member of the advisory medical committee files reports; and thesereports shall be deemed reports of the advisory medical committee. (1935, c. 123; 1955, c. 525,s. 7; 1981, c. 562, s. 2; 1989, c. 439; 1991, c. 481, s. 1; 1997‑443, s.11A.38; 1997‑508, s. 1; 2003‑284, s. 10.33(c).)