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THE WORK COMP BLOG

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Industrial Diseases and Workers Compensation

When most people think about workers compensation, they probably imagine claimants getting hurt in falls, equipment falling on them or a truck driver involved in an accident. Workers compensation can cover those kinds of incidents, but it also covers work related diseases and health conditions that can be even more harmful, but take much longer to develop.

Some of them include:

  • Hand/Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS)
    HAVS is a painful and potentially disabling condition that affects the blood vessels and nerves in the fingers. Typical symptoms include attacks of severe tingling or numbness in the fingers which can cause significant limitations.
  • Whole Body Vibration (WBV)
    WBV is a chronic condition caused by long term exposure to vibrations in environments such as construction or mining. The most severe injuries include fractures to vertebrae and rupture of intervertebral discs.
  • Industrial Dermatitis
    Industrial Dermatitis is an inflammation or irritation of the skin caused by contact with a toxic agent or environmental factor like solvents, detergents and fuels.
  • Noise Induced Hearing Loss
    Noise Induced Hearing Loss (or industrial deafness) is caused by continued exposure to high intensity noise or a one time acoustic trauma. The condition can be permanent and typically affects the higher frequencies of the hearing range.
  • Occupational Respiratory Disease
    Occupational Respiratory Disease is a term for a range of conditions caused by work related exposure to harmful substances such as dust and gasses. These conditions include Industrial Asthma, Silicosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Emphysema. Operations such as grinding, drilling or polishing can increase the risk of developing one or more of these diseases.

If you’ve been diagnosed with a work related disease or health condition, contact our Asheville law office to arrange a free consultation. Our attorneys’ fees are contingent upon recovering damages for your injuries and disabilities. You will not owe a fee unless we recover compensation for you.

P: 828-252-2852

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FREQUENTLY ASKED WORKERS' COMPENSATION QUESTIONS

Q. What injuries are covered by Workers’ Compensation?

A. Workers’ Compensation law covers any accident on the job. An “accident” covered by Workers’ Compensation law includes any unusual or unexpected injury, not only accidents in the sense most of us think of them. Health problems related to work conditions that are developed over time are also covered. Back injuries that can be traced to work are also covered under NC law. You should consult a qualified lawyer to determine whether your work injury is covered by Workers’ Compensation law.

Q. How do lawyers get paid for handling WC cases?

A. Generally, lawyers will charge a contingent fee of 25% of the settlement. Contingent fees are payable only if the case is successful. While most fees are set at the settlement of the case, some fees are collected while the claim is pending. Charging legal fees at any time without approval of the NC Industrial Commission is a Class 1 misdemeanor crime in our State. Most lawyers will advance the expenses of a claim with the understanding that these costs will be recovered when the matter is settled.

What benefits can I receive under WC?

The employer is normally responsible for any medical expense your doctor feels will make you better. This normally includes prescriptions, medical supplies, TENS units, crutches, braces, physical therapy and any other expenses you would not have incurred but for your injury. These expenses are payable by the employer until the case is settled. While you have a general right to choose your own doctor for treatment, the insurance company retains certain rights to pre-authorize medical treatment. You should never go to a doctor without obtaining insurance pre-authorization. You should also never let an insurance company force their doctors on you without your approval. A rehabilitation nurse assigned by the insurance company does NOT have the right to be in your exam room with the doctor. Lost Wages In N.C., the employer is responsible for paying you only 66 2/3% of your gross average wages, up to a maximum that changes each year....

Can my employer fire me while I am on WC?

Retaliatory Employment Discrimination Act (REDA) protects employees who file WC claims. This law allows employees to sue the employer for monetary damages if the employer fires, demotes, punishes or takes any retaliatory action against the employee just because the employee files or testifies in a workers' compensation case. An attorney can give you the correct form to file a REDA complaint with the Department of Labor or you may call the Department of Labor at 1-800-522-6762.

Q. What can I do if my workers’ compensation checks are late?

A. You should call the insurance carrier and ask (1) whether your check was mailed? and (2) if so, when it was mailed?. Weekly workers’ compensation checks are generally late because either the postal service is slow or your check has "fallen off the diary". Insurance company program computer to print checks according to an automatic diary for a specific number of weeks. When that number of weeks is over, your check “falls off the diary” and must be reset for additional weeks if checks continue to be due. An immediate call to the insurance adjuster should be sufficient to reset the check diary. If checks are regularly late, you should consult a qualified lawyer to take more aggressive action through the NC Industrial Commission.

Q. What if my workers’ compensation doctor assigns a permanent partial impairment (P.I.) rating for my injury?

A. When a doctor releases you from care, a permanent disability rating may be assigned to your injured body part. A rating means that you will never again be 100% healthy in that body part. Whether you can return to work depends on the severity of your injury and how that injury affects your ability to handle the physical demands of your work. If you are able to return to making the same wages as before your work injury, this rating may be your only compensation. However, if you are not able to earn the same pre-injury wages, your rating will not represent your only compensation. Your impairment rating is only one factor the Industrial Commission and NC Law will consider in determining what damages the work injury caused you. NC Law permits you to select the most favorable method or compensating you for the injuries and loss of earning...

Our Video Library is not closed-captioned.  Instead of embedding our videos, we have created posts for them, where full transcripts of can be found.
Click on the links below to view the video and its transcript.

Workers’ Compensation Overview on Vimeo

Workers Compensation Overview

Workers’ Compensation Injuries and the Complex nature of the law on Vimeo

Workers’ Compensation Injuries and the Complex Nature of the Law

Waiting Periods for Workers’ Compensation Benefit Payments

Waiting Periods for Workers’ Compensation Benefits

NC Workers’ Compensation Elements of Settlement

NC Workers’ Compensation Elements of Settlement

Settlements of Workers’ Compensation Claims on Vimeo

Settlement of Workers’ Compensation Claims in North Carolina

Pre Existing Conditions and Work Comp in North Carolina

Pre-existing Conditions and Workers’ Compensation Claims

NC Workers’ Comp Covers Many Different Kinds of Injuries

NC Workers’ Comp Covers Many Different Kinds of Injuries

Reopening Workers’ Compensation Cases

Reopening Workers’ Compensation Cases

Can’t Return To Work After an Injury

Workers’ Compensation Benefits When You Cannot Return to Work

Specific Traumatic Injuries

Specific Traumatic Injuries Under Workers’ Compensation

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