Section 45-9-85. Payment of indemnification for death or disability; procedure for making of payments; appeal

   (a) Indemnification shall be paid under this article as follows:

   (1) In the case of a partial permanent disability suffered in the line of duty by a law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, emergency management rescue specialist, state highway employee, or prison guard, the eligible disabled person may elect payment of $35,000.00 paid in equal monthly installments for five years or a lump sum of such amount reduced to its present value upon the basis of interest calculated at the rate of 6 percent per annum;

   (2) In the case of a total permanent disability suffered in the line of duty by a law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, emergency management rescue specialist, state highway employee, or prison guard, the injured person may elect to receive a payment of $75,000.00 paid in equal monthly installments for five years or a lump sum of such amount reduced to its present value upon the basis of interest calculated at the rate of 6 percent per annum; or

   (3) In the case of death or organic brain damage suffered in the line of duty by a law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, emergency management specialist, state highway employee, or prison guard, payment shall be made to the surviving unremarried spouse or the dependents of the spouse or deceased person as shown in his or her most recent tax return or to the legal guardian of the organically brain damaged person. The surviving unremarried spouse, dependents, or the legal guardian may elect to receive payment in a lump sum payment of $100,000.00 paid in equal monthly installments for five years or a lump sum of such amount reduced to its present value upon the basis of interest calculated at the rate of 6 percent per annum.

(b) After the department, or the commission upon review of a denial by the department, determines that a law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, emergency management rescue specialist, prison guard, or state highway employee has suffered a total permanent disability, a partial permanent disability, organic brain damage, or death in the line of duty, the department shall be authorized to make the appropriate payments as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section.

(c) If the department denies a claim, any person seeking benefits pursuant to this part may appeal the department's decision to the commission. Any such appeal shall be filed with the commission within 60 days of receipt of the department's decision and shall identify the errors in the department's decision. Appeals shall be considered by the commission at the commission's semiannual meeting as provided in Code Section 45-9-84.

Ga. L. 1978, p. 1914, § 5; Ga. L. 1980, p. 700, § 4; Ga. L. 1987, p. 822, § 6; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1312, § 5; Ga. L. 1993, p. 1402, § 19; Ga. L. 1994, p. 97, § 45; Ga. L. 1995, p. 877, § 3; Ga. L. 2000, p. 283, § 1; Ga. L. 2002, p. 660, § 4(18); Ga. L. 2002, p. 1259, §§ 7, 11(18); Ga. L. 2008, p. 470, § 1/SB 254; Ga. L. 2011, p. 593, § 1.1/HB 156.