44-1113. Injunctions; civil remedies; violation; penalty.

(1) In addition to the penalties and other enforcement provisions of the Viatical Settlements Act, if any person violates the act or any rule or regulation implementing the act, the director may seek an injunction in a court of competent jurisdiction and may apply for temporary and permanent orders that the director determines are necessary to restrain the person from committing the violation.

(2) Any person damaged by the acts of a person in violation of the act may bring a civil action against the person committing the violation in a court of competent jurisdiction.

(3) The director may issue, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, a cease and desist order upon a person that violates any provision of the Viatical Settlements Act, any rule, regulation, or order adopted or issued by the director, or any written agreement entered into between such person and the director.

(4) When the director finds that an activity in violation of the act presents an immediate danger to the public that requires an immediate final order, the director may issue an emergency cease and desist order reciting with particularity the facts underlying the findings. The emergency cease and desist order is effective immediately upon service of a copy of the order on the respondent and remains effective for ninety days. If the director begins nonemergency cease and desist proceedings, the emergency cease and desist order remains effective, absent an order by a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act.

(5) In addition to the penalties and other enforcement provisions of the Viatical Settlements Act, any person who violates the act is subject to civil penalties of up to one thousand dollars per violation. Imposition of civil penalties shall be pursuant to an order of the director issued under the Administrative Procedure Act. The director's order may require a person found to be in violation of the Viatical Settlements Act to make restitution to persons aggrieved by violations of the act.

(6) A person who is found by a court of competent jurisdiction, pursuant to an action initiated by the director, to have committed a fraudulent viatical settlement act, is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed five thousand dollars for the first violation, ten thousand dollars for the second violation, and fifteen thousand dollars for each subsequent violation.

(7) A person convicted of a violation of the act by a court of competent jurisdiction shall be guilty of a Class III misdemeanor. A person convicted of a violation of the act shall be ordered to pay restitution to persons aggrieved by the violation. Restitution shall be ordered in addition to a fine or imprisonment, but not in lieu of a fine or imprisonment. A prosecution under this subsection shall be in lieu of an action under subsection (6) of this section.

(8) Except for a fraudulent viatical settlement act committed by a viator, the enforcement provisions and penalties of this section shall not apply to a viator.

Source:Laws 2001, LB 52, § 39; Laws 2008, LB853, § 15.

Cross References