WRK COMP-PREVIOUS INJURY

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Provides that, in computing the compensation to be paid to an employee who, before the accident for which the employee claims compensation, had previously sustained an injury resulting in the payment of compensation for a percentage of partial disability, that percentage of partial disability shall be deducted from any award made for a subsequent injury to the same portion of the body as was involved in the prior injury for which compensation was paid; however, nothing in those provisions permits cumulative awards for compensation for partial disability to exceed 500 weeks, which shall constitute complete loss of use of the body as a whole. Provides that, for purposes of computing compensation in nonfatal cases, injuries to the shoulder shall be considered to be injuries to part of the arm and injuries to the hip shall be considered to be injuries to part of the leg and also provides that those amendatory changes are declarative of existing law and are not new enactments. Effective immediately.