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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>84625</law_id><section_number>65.2-311</section_number><catch_line>Expenses and attorney&amp;#8217;s fees in action under &#xA7; 65.2-309 or &#xA7; 65.2-310</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>65.2-309.1</reference><reference>65.2-310</reference><reference>65.2-313</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="65.2">Workers' Compensation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3">Application and Effect of Title</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Except as provided in subsection B, in any action, or claim for <span class="dictionary">damages</span>, by an employee, his personal representative or other person against any person other than the <span class="dictionary">employer</span>, and in any such action brought, or claim asserted, by the <span class="dictionary">employer</span> under his right of subrogation provided for in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Lien against settlement proceeds or verdict in third party suit; subrogation of employer to employee's rights against third parties; evidence; recovery; compromise" href="/65.2-309/">65.2-309</a>, if a recovery is effected, either by <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> or voluntary <span class="dictionary">settlement</span>, the reasonable expenses and reasonable attorney&#x2019;s fees of such claimants shall be apportioned pro rata between the <span class="dictionary">employer</span> and the employee, his personal representative or other person, as their respective interests may appear. <a id="paragraph-303354" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/65.2-311/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> If the <span class="dictionary">employer</span> is required to institute an action against any <span class="dictionary">party</span> to recover some or all of its <span class="dictionary">lien</span> pursuant to subsection D of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Lien against settlement proceeds or verdict in third party suit; subrogation of employer to employee's rights against third parties; evidence; recovery; compromise" href="/65.2-309/">65.2-309</a>, the <span class="dictionary">employer</span> shall not be required to pay any share of the reasonable expenses and reasonable attorney&#x2019;s fees associated with that portion of its <span class="dictionary">lien</span> that is not preserved by the employee, his personal representative or other person. <a id="paragraph-303355" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/65.2-311/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 65-39.1; 1960, c. 89; 1968, c. 660, &#xA7; 65.1-43; 1991, c. 355; 2004, cc. 914, 941.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
