2011 Oregon Revised Statutes
ORS Volume 14, Chapters 645 - 669
ORS Chapter 656
656.204 Death.

If death results from the accidental injury, payments shall be made as follows:

(1)(a) The cost of final disposition of the body and funeral expenses, including but not limited to transportation of the body, shall be paid, not to exceed 20 times the average weekly wage in any case.

(b) The insurer or self-insured employer shall pay bills submitted for disposition and funeral expenses up to the benefit limit established in paragraph (a) of this subsection. If any part of the benefit remains unpaid 60 days after claim acceptance, the insurer or self-insured employer shall pay the unpaid amount to the estate of the worker.

(2)(a) If the worker is survived by a spouse, monthly benefits shall be paid in an amount equal to 4.35 times 66-2/3 percent of the average weekly wage to the surviving spouse until remarriage. The payment shall cease at the end of the month in which the remarriage occurs.

(b) If the worker is survived by a spouse, monthly benefits also shall be paid in an amount equal to 4.35 times 10 percent of the average weekly wage for each child of the deceased who is substantially dependent on the spouse for support, until such child becomes 18 years of age.

(c) If the worker is survived by a spouse, monthly benefits also shall be paid in an amount equal to 4.35 times 25 percent of the average weekly wage for each child of the deceased who is not substantially dependent on the spouse for support, until such child becomes 18 years of age.

(d) If a surviving spouse receiving monthly payments dies, leaving a child who is entitled to compensation on account of the death of the worker, a monthly benefit equal to 4.35 times 25 percent of the average weekly wage shall be paid to each such child until the child becomes 18 years of age or the child s entitlement to benefits under subsection (8) of this section ceases, whichever is later.

(e) If a child who has become 18 years of age is a full-time high school student, benefits shall be paid as provided in subsection (8) of this section.

(f) In no event shall the total monthly benefits provided for in this subsection exceed 4.35 times 133-1/3 percent of the average weekly wage. If the sum of the individual benefits exceeds this maximum, the benefit for each child will be reduced proportionally.

(3)(a) Upon remarriage, a surviving spouse shall be paid 36 times the monthly benefit in a lump sum as final payment of the claim, but the monthly payments for each child shall continue as before.

(b) If, after the date of the subject worker s death, the surviving spouse cohabits with another person for an aggregate period of more than one year and a child has resulted from the relationship, the surviving spouse shall be paid 36 times the monthly benefit in a lump sum as final payment of the claim, but the monthly payment for any child who is entitled to compensation on account of the death of the worker shall continue as before.

(4)(a) If the worker leaves neither wife nor husband, but a child under 18 years of age, a monthly benefit equal to 4.35 times 25 percent of the average weekly wage shall be paid to each such child until the child becomes 18 years of age.

(b) If a child who has become 18 years of age is a full-time high school student, benefits shall be paid as provided in subsection (8) of this section.

(c) In no event shall the total benefits provided for in this subsection exceed 4.35 times 133-1/3 percent of the average weekly wage. If the sum of the individual benefits exceeds this maximum, the benefit for each child will be reduced proportionally.

(5)(a) If the worker leaves a dependent other than a surviving spouse or a child, a monthly payment shall be made to each dependent equal to 50 percent of the average monthly support actually received by such dependent from the worker during the 12 months next preceding the occurrence of the accidental injury. If a dependent is under the age of 18 years at the time of the accidental injury, the payment to the dependent shall cease when such dependent becomes 18 years of age. The payment to any dependent shall cease under the same circumstances that would have terminated the dependency had the injury not happened.

(b) If the dependent who has become 18 years of age is a full-time high school student, benefits shall be paid as provided in subsection (8) of this section.

(c) In no event shall the total benefits provided for in this subsection exceed 4.35 times 10 percent of the average weekly wage. If the sum of the individual benefits exceeds this maximum, the benefit for each dependent will be reduced proportionally.

(6) If a child is an invalid at the time the child otherwise becomes ineligible for benefits under this section, the payment to the child shall continue while the child remains an invalid. If a person is entitled to payment because the person is an invalid, payment shall terminate when the person ceases to be an invalid.

(7) If, at the time of the death of a worker, the child of the worker or dependent has become 17 years of age but is under 18 years of age, the child or dependent shall receive the payment provided in this section for a period of one year from the date of the death. However, if after such period the child is a full-time high school student, benefits shall be paid as provided in subsection (8) of this section.

(8)(a) Benefits under this section which are to be paid as provided in this subsection shall be paid for the child or dependent until the child or dependent becomes 19 years of age. If, however, the child or dependent is attending higher education or begins attending higher education within six months of the date the child or dependent leaves high school, benefits shall be paid until the child or dependent becomes 23 years of age, ceases attending higher education or graduates from an approved institute or program, whichever is earlier.

(b) If a child or dependent who is eligible for benefits under this subsection has no surviving parent, the child or dependent shall receive 4.35 times 66-2/3 percent of the average weekly wage until the child or dependent becomes 23 years of age, ceases attending higher education or graduates from an approved institute or program, whichever is earlier.

(c) As used in this subsection, attending higher education means regularly attending community college, college or university, or regularly attending a course of vocational or technical training designed to prepare the participant for gainful employment. A child or dependent enrolled in an educational course load of less than one-half of that determined by the educational facility to constitute full-time enrollment is not attending higher education.

(9) As used in this section, average weekly wage has the meaning for that term provided in ORS 656.211. [Amended by 1957 c.453 1; 1965 c.285 22; 1967 c.286 1; 1969 c.521 1; 1971 c.415 1; 1973 c.497 2; 1974 c.41 4; 1981 c.535 4; 1981 c.874 15; 1985 c.108 1; 1987 c.235 1; 1991 c.473 1; 1995 c.332 13; 1999 c.927 2; 2009 c.171 1]