People injured at work may not realize the rights that they have under the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act.
If you have been injured in an accident while at work or if you have injured your back at work at a specific time and place you are entitled to have your employer pay for your medical treatment. The company chooses the doctor but you have the right to treatment to make as full a recovery as possible.
You are also entitled to monies for your lost earnings while you are out of work. North Carolina requires employers to pay two-thirds (2/3) of your average weekly wage for the 52 weeks prior to your injury. These temporary total disability benefits begin after you have been out of work 7 consecutive days. However, it is not until you miss 21 consecutive days of work that they are required to pay you for the first 7 days that you missed.
Workers’ Compensation is intended to make up for your lost ability to earn income due to this injury. Many people receive permanent partial disability ratings to certain body parts and are compensated based on those ratings. Other people will never work again and need to be compensated in a different way.
The insurance company will want to do a recorded statement with you as part of its investigation of the claim. We suggest you speak with an attorney before you give this statement as it may have serious consequences on the rest of the case.
Many claims are denied by the insurance companies for various reasons. This does not necessarily mean the claim does not have merit. Many denied claims can be turned into accepted claims or claims worth pursuing with hard work.
We can help you with your Workers’ Compensation claim. We are paid a percentage of the amount paid by your employer or its insurance company, usually 25%. It costs you nothing to sit down and discuss your case as the consultation is free.