§23-2C-20. Claims administration issues.

(a) Private carriers and self-insured employers shall at all times be bound and shall comply fully with all of the provisions of this chapter. Furthermore, all of the provisions contained in §23-4-1 et seq. of this code pertaining to disability and death benefits are binding on and shall be strictly adhered to by the successor to the commission, private carriers, and the self-insured employer in their administration of claims presented by employees of the self-insured employer private carriers and self-insured employers.

(b) The Occupational Pneumoconiosis Board shall be administered by the Insurance Commissioner. Private carriers and self-insured employers shall have all authority and responsibility in the administration and processing of occupational pneumoconiosis claims.

(c) Upon termination of the former Workers’ Compensation Commission, claims allocation responsibilities transferred to the Insurance Commissioner.

(d) The Insurance Commissioner’s third-party administrator for the Old Fund has administrative and adjudicatory authority in administering old law liability and deciding old law claims.