If you have ever suffered from a back injury, you know how excruciating they can be. Coupled with being one of the harder injuries to shake, they plague industries and people working in them. Of all workplace injuries, almost 20% – more than 1 million workers – have suffered from a back injury (according to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics). In fact, the only thing that accounts for more lost days of work is the common cold! More Back Injury Statistics At some point throughout their lives, lower back pain will be experienced by approximately 80% of adults. Lower back pain can result from a work-related injury. Injuries involving the lower back account for 80% of work-related injuries associated with material handling tasks. Of all the strains and sprains (the largest classification of job-related injuries) that take place on…Read More
Workers’ Compensation cases can be tricky. One would think that if you get hurt on the job, and you wind up with doctor bills and lost wages, you should be able to receive compensation. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. But even with existing laws in place, it’s not always easy to win a Workers’ Comp case and get the compensation you’re entitled to. Injured On The Job? If you experienced a workplace injury and have missed work, lost wages, acquired medical bills, etc., you may be entitled to Workers’ Compensation. Hopefully, as soon as the injury occurred, you filled out an accident report. If not, it should be done in expedited fashion (within 30 days of the injury). If not, it could weaken your case. Free consultations are offered by most reputable Workers’ Compensation attorneys. Has Your Claim…Read More
Over time, disabling medical conditions can develop from an employee being exposed to on-the-job health risks. These medical conditions are referred to as occupational diseases. Included in such health risks are exposure to harmful agents (such as chemicals) and physical activities that are damaging or repetitive. In many cases, occupational diseases can be covered under North Carolina’s Worker’s Compensation. What’s Covered? The North Carolina General Statute 97-53 specifies which conditions are covered under North Carolina’s Occupational Diseases. To be covered, proof of a condition (and that their employment caused the condition) is required. If it can be proved that their employment substantially contributed to or caused their condition, but the condition is not listed in the general statute, the employee must be able to also prove the they were placed at greater risk (by their employment) of developing the condition…Read More
Were you injured on the job? Did you make sure to get an accident report in within 30 days of your injury? Did you further file a Workers’ Compensation case? As long as you haven’t been denied, you’re probably wondering when your disability benefits will start. If you haven’t already, make sure that you immediately retain legal representation for your Workers’ Compensation case. Best case scenario, you retained the services of a reliable Workers’ Compensation attorney before you filed your case. If you didn’t, and your case has been denied, it’s even more important that you check with an attorney for your appeal. Now, let’s get the disability benefits. Know Your Rights If you, as an employed worker in North Carolina, have suffered a permanent physical impairment or wage loss because of an occupational disease or an on-the-job injury, you…Read More
Getting hurt at work isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time. No one wants that – not you, not your employer. There are Workers’ Compensation laws in place to protect employees that receive occupational injuries. The way the laws work, both parties are actually protected and represented. Specific rules and requirements must be fulfilled in order for a Workers’ Compensation case to be successful. If not, rulings go in favor of the employer. Acquiring legal representation for your Workers’ Compensation case gives you the best chance of success. Accidents happen. Financial and medical consequences for an injured worker and their family can be very serious. When is it time to look into the possibility of being represented by a North Carolina Workers’ Comp lawyer that is board-certified? Let’s examine this question more closely… So You Had An Accident… When an…Read More
There is an independent contractor problem facing the Workers’ Compensation system in North Carolina today. What’s the problem? Simply put, independent contractors aren’t eligible for Workers’ Compensation coverage under North Carolina law (and pretty much across the country, for that matter). What does that mean for an independent contractor? It means that you will not be able to receive benefits if you get hurt on the job. All of your bills and medical expenses, lost wages, and pain-and-suffering, will be paid for by you. You’re on your own. Now here’s the problem: Just to make sure that workers aren’t covered by Worker’s Compensation, some full-time employees receive an independent contractor categorization from their employers. They’re putting in the same hours, doing the same work as traditional employees, but they’re not receiving the same coverage due to corporate machinations. This is…Read More
It is not uncommon for any number of blue-collar workers to be injured on the job. Many blue-collar jobs involve heavy lifting, twisting and turning, heavy machinery operation, and more. The circumstances surrounding a blue-collar job simply make them more prone to injury on a relatively frequent basis. But what about white-collar workers? How prone to injury are they? If injured, are they entitled to the same Workers’ Compensation as blue-collar workers? The answer is a resounding yes! In North Carolina, as long as no pre-existing condition contributed to the injury or pain suffered from it, and all the necessary paperwork has been filled out and filed, a white-collar worker should receive the same consideration for Workers’ Compensation. Blue-Collar Injuries Versus White-Collar Injuries Having everything to do with what kind of physical labor is involved, when people think about on-the-job…Read More
Dangerous jobs exist in every city and state. North Carolina is no exception, having their own dangerous occupations and resulting workplace injuries. Some jobs are pretty minor when it comes to dangerous situations, but may occasionally present precarious situations nonetheless. Other jobs are just downright threatening to human existence! So you can better prepare yourself and see to your own safety, we’re going to take a look at some of North Carolina’s most dangerous jobs. The specific danger level of a job will, at least for today, be judged on the frequency of workplace injuries. First let’s take a look at some statistics involving North Carolina employees getting hurt on the job. Injuries By The Numbers For one year, in North Carolina alone, over 71,009 non-fatal workplace injuries were reported by private industry employers (according to 2016 reports by the…Read More
Medical treatment must be provided by a Workers’ Compensation insurance company or an employer if Worker’s Compensation covers an injury received by an employee in the workplace. Usually chosen to provide medical treatment is a private medical provider. In-house medical services may be preferred by various employers, i.e., hospitals or large manufacturers. Medical Treatments To relieve pain, assist an employee in returning to work, or cure the injury, medical treatment must be provided. These treatments can include the following: Medications Prosthetics Surgery Diagnostic testing Rehabilitation Doctor visits Health Insurance Health insurance and Workers’ Compensation are not one and the same, but… Conditions immediately resulting from a workplace injury are, of course, covered under Workers’ Compensation. Additionally, conditions that are a result of the initial injury may also be covered in the future. As an example, a Workers’ Compensation-covered knee injury…Read More
Are you an employee who was injured on the job? Have you visited your doctor for your work-related back injury? Did they tell you that, regarding your back injury, you have a 10% permanent disability? If so, what were they talking about? If, pertaining to your injury rating, you accept payment from your North Carolina Workers’ Compensation case, what effect will it have on your case? In fact, what are injury ratings? How these questions are answered could mean whether or not you can support your family, pay your bills, continue working, receive compensation, and more. Worse yet, the answers never seem to be cut and dried. They’re as tricky as any other legal situation. Getting Injured On The Job If you suffer a wage loss due to a work-related injury, you are entitled to disability payments of one type…Read More
