CHAPTER 504

An Act to amend and reenact § 65-46 of the Code of Virginia, relating
to provisions tn respect to injury by accident applicable to occupa-
tional disease in workmen’s compensation cases.

[H 668]
Approved April 4, 1966

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
a That § 65-46 of the Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted as
ollows:

_ § 65-46. When the employer and employee are subject to the provi-
sions of this act, * first communication of the diagnosis of an occupational
disease to the employee, or death of * the employee resulting from an
occupational disease as herein listed and defined shall be treated as the
happening of an injury by accident, or death by accident, and the em-
ployee or in case of his death his dependents shall be entitled to compen-
sation as provided by the act. An employee who has an occupational dis-
ease that is covered by this act shall be entitled to the same hospital,
medical and miscellaneous benefits as an employee who has a compen-
sable injury by accident, except that the period during which the em-
ployer shall be required to furnish medical attention shall begin as of the
date of * first communication of the diagnosis of the occupational disease
to the employee, and in the event of death the same funeral benefits shall
be paid as in the case of death from a compensable accident. All provi-
sions of the act in respect to accidents shall be applicable to the coverage
provided for by this chapter, except as otherwise provided herein. The
provisions of this section, as amended, shall be applicable to occupational
diseases contracted before and after July one, nineteen hundred sixty-stz.