A workplace injury can significantly disrupt your life, forcing you out of work for an extended period and leaving you with expensive medical bills. And that’s not to mention the long-term complications involved if your injury results in permanent disability.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in a recent year, nearly 41,000 workplace injuries resulted in workers taking time off or working with limitations imposed by their treating physicians in North Carolina. These injuries are, unfortunately, very common. However, that also means workers’ compensation lawyers have plenty of experience handling cases similar to yours.
If you were injured on the job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Contact Ted A. Greve & Associates for a free consultation with a knowledgeable and experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in Gastonia, NC. We’ll help you explore the different benefits you can seek through your workers’ comp claim and represent you throughout the entire process.
The Role of a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Gastonia
A workers’ compensation lawyer can handle all aspects of your claim while you recover from your injuries. They’ll investigate the incident that harmed you and collect key evidence, follow up with your employer to make sure they submitted your claim, negotiate with your employer’s insurance company for a fair settlement, and appeal your claim if the insurance company denies it.
The workers’ compensation system can be confusing, especially if you’ve never dealt with it before. However, hiring a lawyer to handle your claim can reduce your stress and maximize the benefits you receive.
Common Workplace Injuries Covered by Workers’ Compensation
While some industries are more dangerous than others, workplace injuries can happen to anyone, regardless of what industry they work in. Whether you work on construction sites or in an office, your odds of sustaining a serious injury are never zero.
Workers’ compensation covers employees injured on the job in various ways. Some of the most common injuries covered by workers’ compensation are:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Tendonitis
- Soft tissue strains and sprains
- Crush injuries and amputations
- Internal organ damage
- Electrocutions and burns
- Vision or hearing loss
Steps to Take After a Workplace Injury
After a workplace injury in Gastonia, it’s crucial that you take the following steps to strengthen your case for workers’ comp benefits:
- Report the Injury to Your Employer: You must report your work injury to your employer within 30 days to be eligible for workers’ comp benefits. It’s best to report your injury both verbally and in writing so you can be sure your employer is aware and so you can retain a copy of the notice.
- Seek Ongoing Medical Care: Follow up with all medical treatment until you reach maximum medical improvement. This is the point at which further treatment is unlikely to result in further recovery. It’s also the point at which the risk of medical complications is reduced so your doctor and lawyer can better estimate your future medical needs.
- Document the Workplace Hazard: If a hazardous work condition caused your injury, take photographs or videos of it as documentation.
- Document Your Injuries: If you have visible injuries, photograph them over time to document the effectiveness of your treatment. It’s also a good idea to keep a daily pain journal.
- Speak to a Workers’ Comp Lawyer: The best way to protect your rights as an injured worker in North Carolina is to hire a skilled workers’ comp lawyer to handle your case.
Understanding Your Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Depending on your injuries, you may be eligible for several types of workers’ compensation benefits, including medical benefits, disability benefits, and vocational rehabilitation.
Medical Benefits
Workers’ comp medical benefits cover all reasonable and necessary treatment for your injuries related to the workplace accident. Medical benefits last for as long as you are injured and your doctor believes treatment is necessary.
Typically, you must be treated by a physician approved by your employer or their insurance company for your treatment to be covered by workers’ comp.
Disability Benefits
If your injury causes you to be unable to work entirely or at full capacity, you may be eligible for disability benefits, also known as wage loss benefits. There are four types of disability benefits you could qualify for, depending on the extent of your impairment:
- Temporary Total Disability (TTD) is for employees who cannot work at all for a limited time.
- Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) is for employees who can work with restrictions and whose income is less than their pre-injury wages for a limited time.
- Permanent Total Disability (PTD) is for employees who cannot return to any work at all.
- Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) is for employees who have suffered impairment to a part of their body but can still work.
Vocational Rehabilitation
Workers receiving permanent partial disability benefits may also qualify for vocational rehabilitation. This includes education and training to allow workers to obtain new employment within their work restrictions.
Death Benefits
If your loved one died as a result of injuries sustained in a workplace accident, you may be eligible for workers’ comp death benefits. These benefits pay up to $10,000 for your loved one’s funeral and burial and provide up to 500 weeks of compensation at 66 ⅔ percent of their average weekly wage.
How Compensation Amounts Are Determined in North Carolina
In North Carolina, disability benefits cover 66 ⅔ percent of your pre-injury average weekly wage or the difference between your pre- and post-injury average weekly wages up to a maximum amount set by the state annually. These benefits typically last until you return to your pre-injury work or reach the 500-week limit.
For permanent disabilities resulting from the loss or partial loss of use of a body part, the state uses a schedule of injuries that sets a duration of disability benefits for specific body parts.
Contact Ted A. Greve & Associates Today
Were you injured in a workplace accident in Gastonia, North Carolina? Contact Ted A. Greve & Associates for a free consultation with a highly qualified workers’ compensation lawyer about your case. During your initial case review, we’ll explain the workers’ comp benefits you may be entitled to and walk you through the process of seeking them.
