Section 4123.84. Claims for injury or death barred after two years - exceptions

(A) In all cases of injury or death, claims for compensation or benefits for the specific part or parts of the body injured shall be forever barred unless, within two years after the injury or death:

(1) Written or facsimile notice of the specific part or parts of the body claimed to have been injured has been made to the industrial commission or the bureau of workers' compensation;

(2) The employer, with knowledge of a claimed compensable injury or occupational disease, has paid wages in lieu of compensation for total disability;

(3) In the event the employer is a self-insuring employer, one of the following has occurred:

(a) Written or facsimile notice of the specific part or parts of the body claimed to have been injured has been given to the commission or bureau or the employer has furnished treatment by a licensed physician in the employ of an employer, provided, however, that the furnishing of such treatment shall not constitute a recognition of a claim as compensable, but shall do no more than satisfy the requirements of this section;

(b) Compensation or benefits have been paid or furnished equal to or greater than is provided for in sections 4123.52, 4123.55 to 4123.62, and 4123.64 to 4123.67 of the Revised Code.

(4) Written or facsimile notice of death has been given to the commission or bureau.

(B) The bureau shall provide printed notices quoting in full division (A) of this section, and every self-insuring employer who shall post and maintain at all times one or more of the notices in conspicuous places in the workshop or places of employment.

(C) The commission has continuing jurisdiction as set forth in section 4123.52 of the Revised Code over a claim which meets the requirement of this section, including jurisdiction to award compensation or benefits for loss or impairment of bodily functions developing in a part or parts of the body not specified pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section, if the commission finds that the loss or impairment of bodily functions was due to and a result of or a residual of the injury to one of the parts of the body set forth in the written notice filed pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section.

(D) Any claim pending before the administrator, the commission, or a court on December 11, 1967, in which the remedy is affected by this section is governed by this section.

(E) Notwithstanding the requirement that the notice required to be given to the bureau, commission, or employer under this section is to be in writing or facsimile, the bureau may accept, assign a claim number, and process a claim when notice is provided verbally over the telephone. Immediately upon receipt of notice provided verbally over the telephone, the bureau shall send a written or facsimile notice to the employer of the bureau's receipt of the verbal notice. Within fifteen days after receipt of the bureau's written or facsimile notice, the employer may in writing or facsimile either verify or not verify the verbal notice. If the bureau does not receive the written or facsimile notification from the employer or receives a written or facsimile notification verifying the verbal notice within such time period, the claim is validly filed and such verbal notice tolls the statute of limitations in regard to the claim filed and is considered to meet the requirements of written or facsimile notice required by this section.

(F) As used in division (A)(3)(b) of this section, "benefits" means payments by a self-insuring employer to, or on behalf of, an employee for a hospital bill, a medical bill to a licensed physician or hospital, or an orthopedic or prosthetic device.

Effective Date: 06-14-2000