Vermont § 656 - Notice of injury and claim for compensation

§ 656. Notice of injury and claim for compensation

• (a) A proceeding under the provisions of this chapter for compensation shall not be maintained
  unless a notice of the injury has been given to the employer as soon as practicable
  after the injury occurred, and unless a claim for compensation with respect to an
  injury has been made within six months after the date of the injury; or, in case of
  death, within six months after death, unless the claimant had made a claim for compensation
  prior to death. (b) The date of injury, or in the case of occupational disease, the date of injurious
  exposure shall be the point in time when the injury or disease, and its relationship
  to the employment is reasonably discoverable and apparent. If that date occurs after
  the employee has ceased all employment, the employee shall be entitled to reasonable
  and necessary medical treatment necessitated by the injury and permanent partial or
  permanent total disability compensation based on the employee’s average weekly wage
  at the time of the last work-related exposure. (c) The notice and claim may be given or made by any person claiming to be entitled to
  compensation or by someone in the employee’s behalf. If payments of compensation have
  been made voluntarily, the making of a claim within this period shall not be required.
  If the claim is denied after voluntary payments were made, the claimant shall commence
  proceedings under this chapter within six months from the date of denial. (Amended 1993, No. 225 (Adj. Sess.), § 9; 1999, No. 41, § 5.)