(1) This chapter shall be known and cited as “Workers’ Compensation Law,” and shall be administered by the Workers’ Compensation Commission, hereinafter referred to as the “commission,” cooperating with other state and federal authorities for the prevention of injuries and occupational diseases to workers and, in event of injury or occupational disease, their rehabilitation or restoration to health and vocational opportunity; and this chapter shall be fairly and impartially construed and applied according to the law and the evidence in the record, and, notwithstanding any common law or case law to the contrary, this chapter shall not be presumed to favor one party over another and shall not be liberally construed in order to fulfill any beneficent purposes.

(2) Wherever used in this chapter, or in any other statute or rule or regulation affecting the former Workmen’s Compensation Law and any of its functions or duties:

(a) The words “workmen’s compensation” shall mean “workers’ compensation”; and

(b) The word “commission” shall mean the Workers’ Compensation Commission.

(3) The primary purposes of the Workers’ Compensation Law are to pay timely temporary and permanent disability benefits to every worker who legitimately suffers a work-related injury or occupational disease arising out of and in the course of his employment, to pay reasonable and necessary medical expenses resulting from the work-related injury or occupational disease, and to encourage the return to work of the worker.