(A) If the deceased employee leaves no dependents, the employer shall pay the commuted amounts provided for in Section 42-9-290 for whole dependents, less burial expenses which must be deducted from those commuted amounts, to his surviving nondependent children.

(B) If the deceased employee leaves no dependents or nondependent children, the employer shall pay the commuted amounts provided for in Section 42-9-290 for whole dependents, less burial expenses which must be deducted from those commuted amounts, to his father and mother, irrespective of age or dependency.

(C) If the deceased employee leaves a partial dependent or dependents as defined in Section 42-9-120, the employer shall pay compensation to those dependents, in accordance with Section 42-9-290, and the remainder of the commuted amounts provided for in Section 42-9-290, less burial expenses, which must be deducted from the commuted amounts, to his nondependent children. If no children survive the deceased employee, then the remainder must be paid to his father and mother, irrespective of age or dependency.

(D) If the deceased employee leaves no dependents or nondependent children or mother or father, then his employer shall pay to the deceased's personal representative the actual costs for burial expenses and the administration of the deceased's estate, and to the commission the commuted amounts provided for dependents under Section 42-9-290, to be expended in accordance with Section 42-9-400.

(E) If the deceased employee leaves partial dependents as defined in Section 42-9-120 and no children or mother or father, then his employer shall pay to that partial dependent in accordance with provisions found in Section 42-9-290 and shall pay to the deceased's personal representative the actual cost of burial expenses and the administration of the deceased's estate, and to the commission the remaining compensation, commuted as provided under Section 42-9-290, to be expended in accordance with Section 42-9-400.

(F) If amounts are payable to the mother and father of the deceased employee pursuant to subsections (B) and (C), upon the motion of either parent or any other potential party of interest based upon the decedent having died intestate, the commission may deny or limit either or both parent's entitlement for a share of the benefits if the commission determines, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the parent or parents failed to reasonably provide support for the decedent as defined in Section 63-5-20 and did not otherwise provide for the needs of the decedent during his or her minority.

(G) Payment as prescribed in this section releases the employer from all death benefit liability.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 72-165; 1952 Code Section 72-165; 1942 Code Section 7035-43; 1936 (39) 1231; 1944 (43) 1299; 1955 (49) 459; 1972 (57) 2339; 1974 (58) 2237; 1989 Act No. 58, Section 1, eff April 26, 1989; 1996 Act No. 370, Section 2, eff May 29, 1996.