(a) This section applies only to a covered employee of a municipal corporation or a county who is subject to § 9-503 of this title and the dependents of those covered employees, unless the municipal corporation or county has made an election under § 9-683.6 of this subtitle.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, the Commission shall determine all questions of partial or total dependency in accordance with the facts of each case that existed:

(1) at the time of the occurrence of the accidental personal injury that caused the death of the covered employee; or

(2) on the date of disablement from the occupational disease that caused the death of the covered employee.