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If you were hurt on the job in Bessemer City, workers’ compensation benefits might be available. These benefits provide workers dealing with employment-related injuries or illnesses with financial compensation and medical care. Our Bessemer City personal injury law firm would be happy to assist you.
The workers’ compensation system is “no-fault,” meaning you could be entitled to benefits regardless of who caused your workplace accident. However, employers and their insurance companies do not always make the claims process easy. You may want to have legal representation from a Bessemer City personal injury lawyer when pursuing a claim.
What Benefits does Workers’ Compensation Offer?
An injured worker might be entitled to recover two primary categories of benefits. In addition to these benefits, the surviving relatives of a worker who lost their life in a work-related accident could also pursue death benefits. For surviving workers, compensation is usually related to the cost of medical care and lost wages.
Ongoing Medical Care
One of the most important aspects of workers’ compensation benefits is the direct payments for medical care. Instead of fighting with insurance companies or begging for reimbursement, these benefits pay directly to your medical provider once your claim is accepted. You could be entitled to these medical benefits for as long as you require treatment.
Disability Benefits
Disability benefits usually come in the form of two-thirds of your average weekly wage before your injury, according to the North Carolina Industrial Commission (NCIC). The extent of these benefits will depend on a few things, such as whether your disability is temporary or permanent and whether it is full or partial.
A temporary disability is not expected to last forever. The person is no longer disabled when they recover enough to return to the workforce. On the other hand, a permanent disability is likely to last forever. A person who is permanently disabled could recover benefits for the rest of their life.
Full—or total—disability means a person cannot work due to their condition. A partial disability might limit the amount or type of work performed, but that person can maintain some form of gainful employment.
How Long does Workers’ Compensation Last?
The duration of your workers’ compensation benefits will largely depend on the extent of your injuries. In general, your benefits will last until you can work again. For some people, this is a matter of weeks or months. However, not everyone fully recovers from their workplace injuries.
If you suffer a permanent injury that prevents you from working again, you could be entitled to benefits for the rest of your life, including wage replacement compensation and the cost of your medical care.
While there is no firm limit on the length of these benefits, other factors can reduce them over time. For example, your workers’ compensation payout might decrease once you qualify for Social Security retirement benefits, according to the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act § 97-29.
What does It Cost to Hire a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Bessemer City?
If you are dealing with a serious work-related injury or illness, you might be feeling some financial strain. Being unable to work can quickly impact your ability to pay your bills and put food on the table. The good news is that hiring an attorney to handle your workers’ compensation claim in Bessemer City is more affordable than you may realize.
In fact, when you work with Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, you will never pay any upfront legal fees. Our Bessemer City lawyers handle workers’ comp cases on contingency, and you only pay us if and when your claim is successful.
When we accept a workers’ compensation case, we get started right away. If we recover compensation on your behalf, we will keep a percentage as our fee. That means you will never pay upfront, and you will not owe us anything other than reimbursement for costs we have paid if we are unsuccessful.
You Can Appeal a Denied Workers’ Compensation Claim in North Carolina
The unfortunate reality for workers’ compensation claims in North Carolina is that the NCIC denies many of them. In other situations, it might approve a claim, but the award could be unreasonably low. When this happens, you have the right to appeal.
You must notify the NCIC of your intent to appeal within 30 days. The NCIC requires mediation before proceeding, but if mediation is unsuccessful, you can request a hearing. During the hearing, you will go before a Deputy Commissioner and present evidence supporting your case.
If the Deputy Commissioner denies your case, you may appeal with the full, three-member NCIC commission. Although most cases do not go beyond this point, you can make additional appeals to the North Carolina Court of Appeals or the North Carolina Supreme Court.
The appeals process can be lengthy and confusing, so having a Bessemer City workers’ compensation attorney on your side to guide you through the process may be invaluable. They can help you collect evidence supporting your case, represent you in mediation and at hearings, and fight for your right to fair compensation.
Let Our Legal Team Help You Seek Compensation Following a Work Injury in Bessemer City
Suffering an on-the-job injury can change your life, but it does not have to cost you your financial independence. Whether you are dealing with a short-term injury or have permanently lost the ability to earn a living, a workers’ compensation claim might be the answer.
Our personal injury law firm understands how to build a successful workers’ compensation claim from the ground up. Let our team at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC help you seek a monetary award after a workplace injury or illness. Contact us as soon as possible to discuss your options and learn more about how our Bessemer City workers’ compensation lawyers can help you.
