Arizona law provides death benefits after fatal work injuries

The law provides payment for burial expenses. This applies when a work injury causes an employee’s death.

The law provides monthly death benefits to surviving spouses and children. The payment amounts depend on whether the employee leaves a spouse, children, or both. A spouse’s payment depends on whether there are surviving children and ends at the spouse’s death or remarriage. A child’s payment may continue to age 22 for full-time study at an accredited school, or longer if the child is over 18 and cannot support themselves, until they can. A spouse’s payments end at death or remarriage; a child’s payments end at the stated age or when the child no longer meets an exception.

The law provides death benefits to some dependent parents, brothers, and sisters, and limits payments to partial dependents. The benefit amounts depend on the relative’s age and whether they relied wholly or partly on the employee for support. Parents qualify only if there is no surviving spouse or child under 18. Brothers and sisters under 18 qualify only if there is no surviving spouse, dependent child under 18, or dependent parent. A partial dependent’s monthly payment is based on the share of the employee’s wages contributed for support. The commission sets how long payments last, up to 100 months. The commission sets the duration of payments to partial dependents, up to 100 months.

The law provides payment for funeral expenses when a dependent dies before their award ends. This applies when a dependent dies before the time set in the award ends. The dependent must die before the time named in the award ends.