Source: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=48-137
Timestamp: 2019-10-21 12:46:55
Document Index: 606510339

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 38', '§ 3679', '§ 14', '§ 3061', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 3', '§ 2', '§ 55']

View Statute 48-136
View Statute48-138
In case of personal injury, all claims for compensation shall be forever barred unless, within two years after the accident, the parties shall have agreed upon the compensation payable under the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act, or unless, within two years after the accident, one of the parties shall have filed a petition as provided in section 48-173. In case of death, all claims for compensation shall be forever barred unless, within two years after the death, the parties shall have agreed upon the compensation under the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act, or unless, within two years after the death, one of the parties shall have filed a petition as provided in section 48-173. When payments of compensation have been made in any case, such limitation shall not take effect until the expiration of two years from the time of the making of the last payment. In the event of legal disability of an injured employee or his or her dependent such limitation shall not take effect until the expiration of two years from the time of removal of such legal disability.
Laws 1913, c. 198, § 38, p. 595;
R.S.1913, § 3679;
Laws 1917, c. 85, § 14, p. 210;
C.S.1922, § 3061;
C.S.1929, § 48-138;
R.S.1943, § 48-137;
Laws 1961, c. 234, § 3, p. 693;
Laws 1977, LB 144, § 2;
Laws 1986, LB 811, § 55.
1. Agreement by employer to compensate
4. Latent and progressive injury
5. Material change in condition
Where employer agreed to compensate employee for injury and employee relying on promise, waited more than a year from time of accident to begin action, employer could not plead statute of limitations hereunder. Speas v. Boone County, 119 Neb. 58, 227 N.W. 87 (1929).
The 2-year limitation contained in this section is contingent upon the failure of one of the parties to file a petition. Foote v. O'Neill Packing, 262 Neb. 467, 632 N.W.2d 313 (2001).
In determining when the statute of limitations begins to run in situations where payments of compensation have been made, "the time of the making of the last payment" means the date the employee or the employee's provider receives payment. Obermiller v. Peak Interest, 277 Neb. 656, 764 N.W.2d 410 (2009).
The 2-year limitations period contained in this section is tolled when a claimant suffers a latent and progressive injury. The statute will not begin to run until it becomes, or should have become, reasonably apparent to the claimant that a compensable disability was present. Gloria v. Nebraska Public Power Dist., 231 Neb. 786, 438 N.W.2d 142 (1989); Wissing v. Walgreen Company, 20 Neb. App. 332, 823 N.W.2d 710 (2012).
Where injury is latent and progressive, period of limitation begins to run when true nature thereof is first discovered by claimant. Borowski v. Armco Steel Corp., 188 Neb. 654, 198 N.W.2d 460 (1972); Wissing v. Walgreen Company, 20 Neb. App. 332, 823 N.W.2d 710 (2012).
If an employee suffers an injury which appears to be slight but which is progressive in its course, and which several physicians are unable to correctly diagnose, the worker's failure to file a claim or bring suit in time will not defeat his right to recovery, if he gave notice and commenced the action within the statutory period after he learned that a compensable disability resulted from the original accident. Wissing v. Walgreen Company, 20 Neb. App. 332, 823 N.W.2d 710 (2012).
In the case of a latent injury, the time for commencement of the action is 1 year after the employee obtained knowledge that the accident caused the compensable disability. Wissing v. Walgreen Company, 20 Neb. App. 332, 823 N.W.2d 710 (2012).
The mere fact that the employee does not know the full extent of his injury from a medical standpoint does not make it latent so as to toll the running of the limitations period, particularly where medical facts were reasonably discoverable, and the burden of proving the injury to have been latent and progressive is upon the employee. Wissing v. Walgreen Company, 20 Neb. App. 332, 823 N.W.2d 710 (2012).
An employee seeking application of the exception for a material change in condition and substantial increase in disability is not required to demonstrate that he or she could not have filed a petition earlier than he or she did. Lenz v. Central Parking System of Neb., 288 Neb. 453, 848 N.W.2d 623 (2014).
The exception for a material change in condition and substantial increase in disability was not rendered unenforceable by Bassinger v. Nebraska Heart Hosp., 282 Neb. 835, 806 N.W.2d 395 (2011). Lenz v. Central Parking System of Neb., 288 Neb. 453, 848 N.W.2d 623 (2014).
The Legislature has acquiesced to the exception for a material change in condition and substantial increase in disability. Lenz v. Central Parking System of Neb., 288 Neb. 453, 848 N.W.2d 623 (2014).
In an occupational disease context, the date of injury, for purposes of this section, is that date upon which the accumulated effects of the disease manifest themselves to the point the injured worker is no longer able to render further service. Dawes v. Wittrock Sandblasting & Painting, 266 Neb. 526, 667 N.W.2d 167 (2003).
This section has at least two exceptions, including (1) where a "latent and progressive" injury is not discovered within 2 years of the accident which caused the injury and (2) where a material change in condition occurs which necessitates additional medical care and from which an employee suffers increased disability. Snipes v. Sperry Vickers, 251 Neb. 415, 557 N.W.2d 662 (1997).
There are two exceptions to the statute of limitations: (1) where a latent and progressive injury is not discovered within 2 years of the accident which caused the injury and (2) where a material change in condition occurs which necessitates additional medical care and from which an employee suffers increased disability. Wissing v. Walgreen Company, 20 Neb. App. 332, 823 N.W.2d 710 (2012).