44-512a. Failure to pay compensation when due; civil penalty; imposition and collection; attorney fees; other remedies. (a) In the event any compensation, including medical compensation, which has been awarded under the workers compensation act, is not paid when due to the person, firm or corporation entitled thereto, the employee shall be entitled to a civil penalty, to be set by the administrative law judge and assessed against the employer or insurance carrier liable for such compensation in an amount of not more than $100 per week for each week any disability compensation is past due and in an amount for each past due medical bill equal to the larger of either the sum of $25 or the sum equal to 10% of the amount which is past due on the medical bill, if: (1) Service of written demand for payment, setting forth with particularity the items of disability and medical compensation claimed to be unpaid and past due, has been made personally or by registered mail on the employer or insurance carrier liable for such compensation and its attorney of record; and (2) payment of such demand is thereafter refused or is not made within 20 days from the date of service of such demand.

(b) After the service of such written demand, if the payment of disability compensation or medical compensation set forth in the written demand is not made within 20 days from the date of service of such written demand, plus any civil penalty, as provided in subsection (a), if such compensation was in fact past due, then all past due compensation and any such penalties shall become immediately due and payable. Service of written demand shall be required only once after the final award. Subsequent failures to pay compensation, including medical compensation, shall entitle the employee to apply for the civil penalty without demand. The employee may maintain an action in the district court of the county where the cause of action arose for the collection of such past due disability compensation and medical compensation, any civil penalties due under this section and reasonable attorney fees incurred in connection with the action.

(c) The remedies of execution, attachment, garnishment or any other remedy or procedure for the collection of a debt now provided by the laws of this state shall apply to such action and also to all judgments entered under the provisions of K.S.A. 44-529 and amendments thereto, except that no exemption granted by any law shall apply except the homestead exemption granted and guaranteed by the constitution of this state.

History: L. 1943, ch. 189, § 1; L. 1961, ch. 243, § 2; L. 1974, ch. 203, § 20; L. 1987, ch. 187, § 10; L. 1990, ch. 183, § 5; L. 1993, ch. 286, § 39; July 1.