{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/45.2-554.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/45.2-554.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/45.2-554.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/45.2-554.html"}],"law_id":364346,"edition_id":2,"section_id":364346,"structure_id":52005,"section_number":"45.2-554","catch_line":" Workers’ compensation; liability","history":"1985, c. 496, \u00a7 45.1-33.5:4; 1994, c. 28, \u00a7 45.1-161.76; 2007, cc. 894, 914; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.","full_text":"A\n\nFor the purpose of workers’ compensation coverage, during any mine disaster to which a state-designated mine rescue team responds under the provisions of this article or during any training exercise for a state-designated mine rescue team, members of the state-designated team shall be deemed to be within the employment of the operator of the mine at which the disaster occurred or the training exercise is conducted. Additionally, for purposes of workers’ compensation coverage, travel by members of a state-designated mine rescue team to and from the mine disaster or training exercise shall be deemed to be within the employment of the operator of the mine at which the disaster occurred or the training exercise is conducted.\n\nB\n\nNo member of a state-designated mine rescue team engaging in rescue work at a mine shall be liable for civil damages for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such rescue work unless the act or omission was the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct.\n\nC\n\nNo operator providing personnel to a state-designated mine rescue team to engage in rescue work at a mine not owned or operated by the operator shall be liable for any civil damages for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such rescue work.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1357391,"text":"For the purpose of workers’ compensation coverage, during any mine disaster to which a state-designated mine rescue team responds under the provisions of this article or during any training exercise for a state-designated mine rescue team, members of the state-designated team shall be deemed to be within the employment of the operator of the mine at which the disaster occurred or the training exercise is conducted. Additionally, for purposes of workers’ compensation coverage, travel by members of a state-designated mine rescue team to and from the mine disaster or training exercise shall be deemed to be within the employment of the operator of the mine at which the disaster occurred or the training exercise is conducted.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1357392,"text":"No member of a state-designated mine rescue team engaging in rescue work at a mine shall be liable for civil damages for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such rescue work unless the act or omission was the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":1357393,"text":"No operator providing personnel to a state-designated mine rescue team to engage in rescue work at a mine not owned or operated by the operator shall be liable for any civil damages for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such rescue work.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":52005,"edition_id":2,"name":"Mine Rescue Teams","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":5,"order_by":5,"parent_id":52000,"metadata":{"child_laws":10,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:51:59","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:33:34","permalink":{"id":1449857,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52005,"identifier":"5","token":"45.2\/II\/A\/5\/5","url":"\/45.2\/II\/A\/5\/5\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52000,"edition_id":2,"name":"Coal Mine Safety Act","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":51999,"metadata":{"child_laws":82,"child_structures":10},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:51:54","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:33:33","permalink":{"id":1449653,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52000,"identifier":"5","token":"45.2\/II\/A\/5","url":"\/45.2\/II\/A\/5\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51999,"edition_id":2,"name":"Coal Mines Generally","identifier":"A","label":"part","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":51931,"metadata":{"child_laws":103,"child_structures":16},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:51:54","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:33:33","permalink":{"id":1449651,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51999,"identifier":"A","token":"45.2\/II\/A","url":"\/45.2\/II\/A\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51931,"edition_id":2,"name":"Coal Mining","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":2,"parent_id":51927,"metadata":{"child_laws":337,"child_structures":56},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:51:17","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:33:33","permalink":{"id":1449649,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51931,"identifier":"II","token":"45.2\/II","url":"\/45.2\/II\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51927,"edition_id":2,"name":"Mines, Minerals, and Energy","identifier":"45.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":99,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":627,"child_structures":120},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:51:17","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:33:32","permalink":{"id":1449541,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51927,"identifier":"45.2","token":"45.2","url":"\/45.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":364337,"structure_id":52005,"section_number":"45.2-545","catch_line":" Mine rescue and first aid stations","url":"\/45.2-545\/","token":"45.2\/II\/A\/5\/5\/45.2-545","metadata":false},{"id":364338,"structure_id":52005,"section_number":"45.2-546","catch_line":" Mine rescue teams","url":"\/45.2-546\/","token":"45.2\/II\/A\/5\/5\/45.2-546","metadata":false},{"id":364339,"structure_id":52005,"section_number":"45.2-547","catch_line":" Duty to train teams","url":"\/45.2-547\/","token":"45.2\/II\/A\/5\/5\/45.2-547","metadata":false},{"id":364340,"structure_id":52005,"section_number":"45.2-548","catch_line":"Qualification for team membership; direction of teams","url":"\/45.2-548\/","token":"45.2\/II\/A\/5\/5\/45.2-548","metadata":false},{"id":364341,"structure_id":52005,"section_number":"45.2-549","catch_line":" Team members to be considered employees of the mine where emergency exists; compensation; workers' compensation","url":"\/45.2-549\/","token":"45.2\/II\/A\/5\/5\/45.2-549","metadata":false},{"id":364342,"structure_id":52005,"section_number":"45.2-550","catch_line":" Requirements of recovery work","url":"\/45.2-550\/","token":"45.2\/II\/A\/5\/5\/45.2-550","metadata":false},{"id":364343,"structure_id":52005,"section_number":"45.2-551","catch_line":" State-designated mine rescue teams","url":"\/45.2-551\/","token":"45.2\/II\/A\/5\/5\/45.2-551","metadata":false},{"id":364344,"structure_id":52005,"section_number":"45.2-552","catch_line":" Mine Rescue Fund","url":"\/45.2-552\/","token":"45.2\/II\/A\/5\/5\/45.2-552","metadata":false},{"id":364345,"structure_id":52005,"section_number":"45.2-553","catch_line":" Inspections; Mine Rescue Coordinator","url":"\/45.2-553\/","token":"45.2\/II\/A\/5\/5\/45.2-553","metadata":false},{"id":364346,"structure_id":52005,"section_number":"45.2-554","catch_line":" Workers' compensation; liability","url":"\/45.2-554\/","token":"45.2\/II\/A\/5\/5\/45.2-554","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":364345,"structure_id":52005,"section_number":"45.2-553","catch_line":" Inspections; Mine Rescue Coordinator","url":"\/45.2-553\/","token":"45.2\/II\/A\/5\/5\/45.2-553","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/45.2-554\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1985. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 496 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1985 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1994, chapter 28<\/a>; in 2007, chapters 894<\/a> and 914<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1449895,"object_type":"law","relational_id":364346,"identifier":"45.2-554","token":"45.2\/II\/A\/5\/5\/45.2-554","url":"\/45.2-554\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/45.2-554\/","token":"45.2\/II\/A\/5\/5\/45.2-554","dublin_core":{"Title":" Workers’ compensation; liability","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 45.2-554","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> For the purpose of workers’ compensation coverage, during any mine disaster to which a state-designated mine rescue team responds under the provisions of this article or during any training exercise for a state-designated mine rescue team, members of the state-designated team shall be deemed to be within the employment of the operator of the mine at which the disaster occurred or the training exercise is conducted. Additionally, for purposes of workers’ compensation coverage, travel by members of a state-designated mine rescue team to and from the mine disaster or training exercise shall be deemed to be within the employment of the operator of the mine at which the disaster occurred or the training exercise is conducted. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> No member of a state-designated mine rescue team engaging in rescue work at a mine shall be liable for civil damages<\/span> for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such rescue work unless the act or omission was the result of gross negligence<\/span> or willful misconduct. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> No operator providing personnel to a state-designated mine rescue team to engage in rescue work at a mine not owned or operated by the operator shall be liable for any civil damages<\/span> for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such rescue work. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\n WORKERS’ COMPENSATION; LIABILITY (\u00a7 45.2-554)\n\nA. For the purpose of workers’ compensation coverage, during any mine\ndisaster to which a state-designated mine rescue team responds under the\nprovisions of this article or during any training exercise for a\nstate-designated mine rescue team, members of the state-designated team shall be\ndeemed to be within the employment of the operator of the mine at which the\ndisaster occurred or the training exercise is conducted. Additionally, for\npurposes of workers’ compensation coverage, travel by members of a\nstate-designated mine rescue team to and from the mine disaster or training\nexercise shall be deemed to be within the employment of the operator of the mine\nat which the disaster occurred or the training exercise is conducted.\n\nB. No member of a state-designated mine rescue team engaging in rescue work at a\nmine shall be liable for civil damages for acts or omissions resulting from the\nrendering of such rescue work unless the act or omission was the result of gross\nnegligence or willful misconduct.\n\nC. No operator providing personnel to a state-designated mine rescue team to\nengage in rescue work at a mine not owned or operated by the operator shall be\nliable for any civil damages for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering\nof such rescue work.\n\nHISTORY: 1985, c. 496, \u00a7 45.1-33.5:4; 1994, c. 28, \u00a7 45.1-161.76; 2007, cc.\n894, 914; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}