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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>364060</law_id><section_number>45.2-1143</section_number><catch_line> Workers&amp;#8217; compensation; liability</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="99" identifier="45.2">Mines, Minerals, and Energy</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="3" identifier="III">Mineral Mines</unit><unit label="part" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="A">Mineral Mines Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="11">Mineral Mine Safety Act</unit><unit label="article" level="5" order_by="5" identifier="5">Mine Rescue Teams</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> For the purpose of workers&#x2019; compensation coverage during any mine disaster to which a state-designated mine rescue team responds under the provisions of this article, each member of the state-designated team shall be deemed to be within the employment of the licensed operator of the mine at which the disaster occurred. <a id="paragraph-1356059" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/45.2-1143/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> No member of a state-designated team engaging in rescue work at a mine shall be liable for civil <span class="dictionary">damages</span> for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such rescue work unless the act or omission was the result of gross <span class="dictionary">negligence</span> or willful misconduct. <a id="paragraph-1356060" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/45.2-1143/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">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 <span class="dictionary">damages</span> for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such rescue work. <a id="paragraph-1356061" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/45.2-1143/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1997, c. 390, &#xA7; 45.1-161.292:49; 1998, c. 695; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
