Rutherfordton, North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Although the law requires employers to follow specific safety measures to protect workers, accidents still happen. In fact, there are several commonly reported types of workplace accidents:

• Slip-and-falls or trip-and-falls
• Falls to a lower level
• Overexertion from lifting, pushing, pulling or carrying
• Being struck by an object
• Being caught in or compressed by something, such as machinery
• Equipment failure

No matter the cause of your workplace injury, we encourage you to seek advice from a knowledgeable Rutherfordton work injury attorney. Although there are common types of workplace accidents and injuries, every case is unique.

At Teddy, Meekins & Talbert, P.L.L.C., our attorneys will give you the individual attention you deserve.

GET FREE LEGAL ADVICE

Discover if You Are Eligible for Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Rutherfordton, NC

If you are injured on the job, you have a legal right to pursue workers’ compensation benefits. This applies even if you caused the workplace accident, as long as you were performing an authorized activity at the time.

The North Carolina workers’ compensation program is a no-fault system. This means that an injured employee may be entitled to benefits regardless of who caused the accident.

Injured and temporarily disabled employees in North Carolina may qualify for a range of assistance after an on-the-job accident. The benefits include:

• Coverage of medical bills
• Replacement of lost wages
• Temporary partial disability
• Permanent partial disability

Follow These Steps to File a Rutherfordton Workers’ Compensation Claim

The North Carolina Industrial Commission recommends the following steps to file a workers’ compensation claim:

Tell your employer about the injury and seek medical treatment. Note that your employer has the right to pick where you seek treatment.

Tell the doctor that your injury is work-related, and give him or her the name of your employer. That way your treatment can be billed as a workers’ compensation claim.

Notify HR or the appropriate manager as soon as possible of your injury. If you are too injured to do this in person, a family member, friend, doctor or attorney can do it for you.

Within 30 days, you must give your employer written notice with the date of the accident and a short description of the injury. Make a copy of the written notice to keep in your records. Your employer is required to report your injury to the workers’ compensation insurance company for review of your claim.

Follow your physician’s instructions for medical treatment. Failure to follow your doctor’s orders could hurt your claim.

You should also contact an experienced Rutherfordton workers’ compensation attorney to discuss your case. A lawyer can help you properly document your accident and resulting injuries, and give you guidance on pursuing full and fair compensation.

Beware: An employer may encourage you to let your health insurance pay the bills rather than filing a workers’ compensation claim. It’s unwise to do that. Do not assume that your health insurance will pay all your bills if you have suffered a workplace injury. Private health insurance also has no provision to replace your lost wages if you’re out of work.

Our Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Rutherfordton Can Help if Your Claim Was Denied

Unfortunately, some employers and insurance companies will try to deny your injury was work-related or will limit your benefits or offer to pay less than a claim is worth.

It is important that you know your rights about pursuing workers’ compensation. Keep in mind:

• When a claim is denied, your employer must give you the exact reason for the denial. Reasons may not even be related to the injury itself. For example, the improper filing of paperwork can be a reason for denial.
• Your first step is to request mediation by filing a Form 33, Request for Hearing, with the Industrial Commission. During mediation, both sides will argue their case and specifically address the reason for the claim denial.
• If the mediation is not successful, you may request a formal hearing before the North Carolina Industrial Commission.
• If your claim is denied by the commission, you may continue to pursue your case in the North Carolina Court of Appeal.

As you can see, the process can be quite complex and daunting, and your employer knows this. Pursuing a serious workers’ compensation claim on your own can be extremely challenging, but the skilled Rutherfordton workers’ compensation lawyers at Teddy, Meekins & Talbert, P.L.L.C., are ready to fight for you.

Can I Be Laid off While I’m on Workers’ Compensation Leave in Rutherfordton, North Carolina?

Your employer cannot retaliate against you for filing a workers’ compensation claim. So you cannot be fired just because you got injured on the job. If you are concerned that you are going to lose your job after filing a workers’ compensation claim, contact an experienced labor law attorney immediately.

At Teddy, Meekins & Talbert, P.L.L.C., we take your rights as an injured worker extremely seriously, and we will aggressively fight for those whose rights have been violated.