Greensboro Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
When you clock in, you don’t expect to clock out with a life-altering condition. Yet, thousands of workers across North Carolina suffer job-related injuries that warrant workers’ compensation benefits. Yet, if this is your first time filing a claim or the insurer refuses to cooperate, you could find yourself without a means of making ends meet.
Meet Whitley Law Firm. Our Greensboro workers’ compensation lawyers care about your accident as though it happened to one of our loved ones. With our support, you can focus on healing and rebuilding your life. In the meantime, we can weigh your options and pursue financial recovery. Call (919) 785-5000 to start your complimentary case review.
With Us, You Get More Than a Lawyer; You Get the Whitley Advantage
Our founder, Attorney Bob Whitley, understands the value of hard work. Before he was a lawyer, he made ends meet by laboring in tobacco fields and delivering newspapers. He came not only to understand what makes this country great but the programs that help injured workers get back on their feet.
Our family wants to help your family. When you retain our personal injury lawyers, we:
- Always make time for your questions and concerns. At the outset of our partnership, you get your attorney’s phone number and email address for easy access. You can make as many appointments as you need.
- Answer your calls within 24 hours. With our advocacy, you don’t have to sit around waiting for the phone to ring. You can rest assured that if we can’t talk immediately, we call back within the day.
- Offer services in English and Spanish. We want to make you feel comfortable in any way we can, and that includes offering bilingual assistance, if needed.
We Make Legal Help Accessible to Greensboro Workers’ Compensation Clients
At Whitley Law Firm, we work with individuals who have suffered serious work-related injuries. If you’re in a similar boat, you may worry about affording a lawyer on top of paying your medical bills. Yet, there’s no need to stress; we work on a contingency-fee basis. We don’t request our attorney’s fees until we recover a settlement or judgment on your behalf. Even then, our fees come from your compensation––and never from your own pocket.
We take on the bureaucratic red tape, communications, negotiations, and other matters associated with workers’ compensation claims. This allows you to focus on your health, well-being, and treatment plan.
Working With Whitley Law Firm: a Former Client’s Perspective
Recently, we had the pleasure of serving Jenn and her family. She had this to share about our advocacy:
“I was injured while working. I realized I needed to hire an attorney shortly after being injured. I went to about five different ones to ask about my options. When I met Michele I knew right away she was who I needed and wanted on my side.
Michele Welsh was my case worker. She was with me every single step of the way. I never felt alone again. She made herself completely available. The Whitley Law Firm makes you feel like family. I will use them again for any issues that may arise. They are also the only firm I will ever refer others to. I could not have had a better experience. Thank you so much Michele and The entire family at Whitley Law Firm.”
We want to do everything possible to help you move forward from this frightening time.
What You Can Expect From Our Greensboro Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
At Whitley Law Firm, you get more than legal advocate; you get our entire team’s 80-plus years of combined legal experience. We believe there’s no case we can’t handle, and we’re proud of the work we’ve done for injured employees like you.
Our Greensboro workers’ compensation lawyers can:
- Prepare your claim
- Complete all case-related paperwork
- Work to meet all deadlines
- Appeal a denied claim
- Ensure you receive the medical care you need
- Explain what benefits you can receive
- Negotiate a fair deal
- Pursue a third-party injury claim, if necessary
Our primary concern is ensuring that you get the most benefits possible so you can put your focus and energy on healing. We understand the ins and outs of North Carolina workers’ compensation law, and we will use that to your benefit throughout our relationship.
What Workers’ Compensation Benefits Cover in Greensboro, NC
In North Carolina, workers’ compensation is a “no-fault” insurance system that most employers are required to carry. No fault in this case means that if you’re injured while on the job, you don’t have to prove that someone was at fault for your injury; it should be covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance.
Workers’ compensation covers the following:
The Entirety of Your Medical Costs
Workers’ compensation should cover your medical care in the aftermath of a job-related injury. This includes coverage for:
- Ambulance rides
- X-rays
- Emergency care
- Physical therapy
- Treatment
- Long-term care
- Medical devices
Your travel to and from medical appointments may be reimbursable, depending on distance. It’s important to note that you must see a doctor in your employer’s approved network. If you see a doctor out of network, you might have to pay those costs out of pocket. Of course, this doesn’t apply if you required emergency medical attention; that should be covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance.
Two-Thirds of Your Lost Income
Per the North Carolina Industrial Commission, you can recover up to two-thirds of your average weekly wage following an on-the-job injury. How much you get and for how long depends on factors specific to your situation. Our workers’ compensation attorneys will explain what you can expect.
Vocational Rehabilitation
If your injury ultimately prohibits you from returning to the work you did before the accident (but you are able to work in some form), you may be eligible for job training, education, placement, and other associated benefits.
Death Benefits
If you lost a loved one to a work-related accident, illness, or occupational disease, please accept our condolences. We know that compensation does little to address your grief––but it can offer the resources you need to heal. Through workers’ compensation, you could get compensation for funeral and burial expenses, along with two-thirds of the decedent’s average weekly wages at the time of their passing.
We’ve Recovered Millions for Workplace Injury Claimants
We’re not strangers to workplace injuries and the hardships they can pose. Our lawyers have spent decades focusing on workers’ compensation claims and advocating for injured people. In fact, one of the first cases Attorney Bob Whitley won was a workplace injury claim. His client was a factory worker who suffered life-altering injuries in a tractor-trailer collision.
Other case results include:
- A $5.5 million settlement for a rural mail carrier
- A $4 million settlement for an iron worker
- $2.4 million for a construction worker buried in a wall collapse
The outcomes of these cases may not reflect your own case’s resolution. Yet, we hope by sharing these details, you feel confident in our ability to recover damages.
The Time Limit to File Your Workers’ Compensation Claim
You generally have two years from the date of your injury to file a workers’ compensation claim. Yet, you must report the incident to your employer within 30 days of its occurrence.
If you don’t file your claim within the appropriate timeframe, your workers’ compensation claim could get denied, and appealing the denial could prove challenging. Our Greensboro attorneys help you find and complete the correct forms while staying true to the deadlines for each. However, to ensure we adhere to all necessary deadlines, we must hear from you in a timely fashion first.
How to Meet Workers’ Compensation Requirements After an Injury
If you suffered a work-related injury or illness, it is critical that you follow these steps:
- Seek medical care. This may involve going to the emergency room or scheduling an appointment with a healthcare provider in your employer’s network.
- Inform your employer. As noted, you have 30 days from the date of the accident to notify your employer of the incident. Be sure to do this in writing. That way, your employer can’t say they weren’t notified.
- Follow your treatment plan. You don’t want your employer or their insurer to contest some aspects of your condition because you didn’t adhere to your treatment plan. If you want to change or discontinue something, run it past your doctor first.
- Limit the information you share with others. Do not speculate on your health or recovery with anyone, including colleagues and strangers on social media platforms. You’d be surprised what information insurers could use to deny claims. You don’t want to give anyone involved in your case any more information than they need.
What Happens After You File a Workers’ Compensation Claim?
In an ideal situation, you would file your workers’ compensation claim and begin receiving benefits until you reach maximum medical improvement. However, the process isn’t always easy. The insurer may deny your claim or not offer enough money to fairly compensate you.
If your claim is denied or there is a dispute about the amount you deserve, our team can file an appeal with the North Carolina Industrial Commission. At this point, you can expect us to:
- Identify the reason for your claim’s denial
- Gather additional evidence
- Advise you on your options
Our Greensboro attorneys will be with you throughout the process, negotiating on your behalf and representing you at all necessary hearings.
What You Should Know About North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Claims
It’s reasonable to feel uncertain about your options in the aftermath of a serious work-related incident. Here, we’ve compiled some things you should know about workers’ compensation claims and what the process entails.
Workers’ Compensation Doesn’t Cover Everyone
Not all employees have workers’ compensation coverage in North Carolina. These parties include:
- Some railroad employees
- “Casual” employees
- Domestic staff working in someone’s home
- Farm workers, depending on the number of full-time workers regularly employed
- Employees of the federal government
- Some employees who sell food grown and prepared for sale by the growers, such as staff at farm stalls
If you were hurt as one of these entities, not all hope is lost. While you can’t file a workers’ compensation claim, you could have the basis of a third-party negligence claim. Here, our team would build a case showing that because another party’s negligence hurt you, you deserve compensation.
We can discuss this type of legal action during your no-obligation case review.
The Liable Insurer May Deny Your Claim on Certain Grounds
The liable insurer must give a written reason upon denying your claim. For instance, it might insist that you don’t deserve benefits because, at the time of the accident:
- You were intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.
- You were engaged in “horseplay.”
- You were not engaging in a job-related duty.
If the insurer denies your claim or gives you a hard time, we can apply our skills, knowledge, and resources to advance your case.
These Injuries Allow You to Seek Workers’ Compensation Benefits
If you suffered a serious injury that impedes your regular working ability, our team wants to advocate for you. Since 1974, we’ve advocated for workers’ compensation claimants in the aftermath of:
- Brain injuries
- Cancer due to workplace exposure to cancer-causing agents
- Burns from chemicals or heat
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal bleeding
- The loss of one or more limbs
- The loss of a sense, such as vision or hearing
As noted, we also advocate for families whose loved ones suffered fatal injuries.
Begin Your Workers’ Compensation Free Case Evaluation Today
If you or someone you love was injured in a work-related accident, please call us at (919) 785-5000. Here, you can start a free consultation and learn about the benefits of partnering with our Greensboro workers’ compensation attorneys.
We protect our clients and approach each case with compassion and a readiness to fight for what’s right. Let our family help yours.
