§ 28-35-41 - Time for payment or notification to employee of controverted question.
SECTION 28-35-41
§ 28-35-41 Time for payment ornotification to employee of controverted question. – For all injuries occurring on or before February 28, 1986, within twenty-one(21) days after the employer has notice of an injury or death as provided inchapters 29 – 38, of this title and has received the initial medicalreport referred to in § 28-35-9, the employer or employer's insurer shalleither immediately begin the payment of compensation, or advise the directorand the employee or his or her representative that the right to benefits underthose chapters is controverted. In the event that the employer or his or herinsurer does not immediately begin the payment of compensation to the employee,or does not notify the director and the employee that the right to benefitsunder those chapters is controverted, within the time prescribed by thissection, the employer or employer's insurer may be required to pay to anemployee who successfully prosecutes a petition for workers' compensation anadditional fifty dollars ($50.00), which is to be awarded to that employee bythe workers' compensation court in its discretion and added to his or her firstweek's compensation.