(a)

(1) When the employer and employee are subject to this chapter, the partial or total incapacity for work or the death of an employee resulting from an occupational disease as defined in § 50-6-301 [Applicable only to injuries occurring prior to July 1, 2014. See the Compiler's Notes.], shall be treated as the happening of an injury by accident or death by accident, and the employee, or in case of the employee's death, the employee's dependents, shall be entitled to compensation as provided in this chapter.

(2) An employee who has an occupational disease shall be entitled to the same hospital, medical and miscellaneous benefits as an employee who has a compensable injury by accident, and, in the event of death, the same funeral benefit shall be paid as in the case of death from a compensable accident.

(b)

(1) An employee totally disabled due to coal workers' pneumoconiosis shall be paid benefits during disability as provided for by the federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, compiled in 30 U.S.C. § 901 et seq.

(2) In accordance with the federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, if the employee has one (1) or more dependents, the payments shall be increased fifty percent (50%) of such payments for the first dependent, seventy-five percent (75%) for two (2) dependents, and one hundred percent (100%) for three (3) or more dependents.

(3) In case of death of an employee receiving benefits under this chapter, benefits shall be paid to that employee's surviving spouse and any dependents in the same manner provided in the federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, as applicable to employees suffering from coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

(4) Benefits paid under this subsection (b) shall not be subject to the maximum compensation limitations set forth in §§ 50-6-205, 50-6-207(1), (3) and (4), 50-6-209, 50-6-210(e)(10) or any other sections of this chapter, but the maximum compensation limitations shall be controlled exclusively by the maximum compensation benefits and limitations established under the federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, as applicable to employees suffering from coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

(5) The minimum compensation limitations for employees suffering from coal workers' pneumoconiosis shall be no less than those set forth in the federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969.