Were you or a family member injured on the job in Charlotte, NC? Workers’ compensation benefits can provide a crucial lifeline while you’re recovering. An experienced Charlotte workers’ compensation lawyer at Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys can help you ensure that you’re getting the benefits you deserve.
Our attorneys have over 150 years of combined experience handling injury claims. We’ve recovered over $100 million on behalf of our injured clients and their families. Injured workers have trusted us to handle their claims since we opened our doors more than four decades ago. Contact our law offices in Charlotte, North Carolina, to learn more about your right to compensation today at (980) 340-8620
How Can Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys Help With My Workers’ Compensation Claim in Charlotte?
Workers’ compensation claims can be challenging. You know you have the right to benefits. What happens if your employer is challenging you? How do you know whether you’re getting the full amount you deserve?
Our award-winning Charlotte, North Carolina, personal injury lawyers at Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys can help. When you hire our nationally-recognized attorneys, you’ll have an entire team to:
- Evaluate every avenue for maximizing your compensation award
- Investigate and collect evidence
- Determine how much compensation you deserve
- Assess your rights under North Carolina personal injury laws
- Protect you from attempts to reduce your compensation award
- Help if the insurance company claims your injuries weren’t work-related
- Protect you if your doctors try to push you back to work before you’re healed
- Negotiate a full settlement on your behalf
- Represent you at any hearings
- Advocate for you if your claim is denied
- Handle all paperwork and legal issues at every stage of the legal process
Our Charlotte personal injury attorneys are ready to help you pursue justice. If you were injured on the job, call our law firm today to schedule your free consultation.
How Common Are Work-Related Accidents in North Carolina?
Private employers in North Carolina reported 68,600 non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2023. Roughly 40,900 of those medical conditions were severe enough that the worker was forced to miss work or lose income.
Any type of workplace can become dangerous in the right situation. Our attorneys in Charlotte handle all types of workers’ compensation claims, including those involving:
- Construction accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Electrical accidents
- Warehouse accidents
- Industrial accidents
- Manufacturing accidents
- Hospitality industry accidents
- Forklift accidents
- Accidents involving heavy machinery
- Falls from heights
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Occupational diseases
Do you have questions about your right to workers’ comp benefits? Call our law firm to learn more about your options today.
Overview of North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Laws
Under North Carolina law, nearly all employers with at least three employees must purchase workers’ compensation insurance. Limited exceptions exist for small agricultural employers, logging employees, and domestic employees. Nearly all employees are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits if they suffer a work-related injury or illness.
How Much Money Is My Charlotte Workers’ Compensation Case Worth?
All cases are different. You can use this calculator for an approximate, the value of your claim will depend heavily on the nature of your disability and how it impacts your earnings. Factors that are key in assessing your case value are:
- Whether you can work in some capacity during recovery or are totally disabled
- Whether your disability is temporary or permanent
- Your average wages prior to the injury or diagnosis
- How much time you miss at work
- Whether you have rights under North Carolina personal injury laws
The maximum amount that you can receive each week is $1,380 if your injury occurred in 2025. The amount increases each year to account for inflation.
What Types of Benefits Does Workers’ Compensation Provide in Charlotte?
Workers’ compensation in North Carolina provides medical expense reimbursement and wage replacement benefits. These benefits are similar to economic damages in a personal injury case.
Medical Expense Reimbursement
Workers’ compensation should cover any medical expense related to your workplace injury or illness. Medical benefits cover:
- Doctor’s visits
- Hospitalization
- Nursing care
- Rehabilitative care
- Medications and medical supplies
- Surgeries
- Chiropractic care
- Travel expenses, if you must travel 20 miles or more (round trip) for medical care
Your employer may have designated a healthcare provider that you must use for treatment. It’s also possible that an on-site healthcare provider may be present. You jeopardize your right to have your medical bills paid if you fail to follow your employer’s instructions. In an emergency (or if no instructions are provided), you can seek treatment from any available doctor.
Income Replacement Benefits
Your disability benefits will depend on the extent of your injuries. Typically, you’ll receive a check from workers’ compensation each week that you’re disabled. Your check will cover about 66 ⅔% of your average wages prior to the disability.
Available disability benefits include:
- Temporary total disability benefits if you’re completely unable to work during recovery.
- Temporary partial disability benefits are available if you can work in some capacity during your recovery, but your earnings are impaired.
- Permanent partial disability benefits if you suffer a reduction in earning capacity even once you recover to the extent possible.
- Permanent total disability benefits if you’re completely unable to work in any capacity
You’re only entitled to wage replacement benefits if your disability lasts for at least seven days. If you’re disabled for at least 21 days, you’ll also receive payment for the first seven days of lost income.
Can I Receive Damages Above and Beyond What Workers’ Comp Covers?
Workers’ compensation is valuable, but it doesn’t cover everything. With limited exceptions, you can’t sue your employer for damages in North Carolina. If they carry the required workers’ comp insurance, they’re protected against lawsuits.
You can sue if a third party was involved in your accident. Say you were injured in a car crash while you were working. You can sue the negligent driver for damages above what workers’ comp covers. In personal injury cases, you can pursue compensation for both economic and non-economic damages, including:
- Past and future medical expenses
- The full amount of your lost wages
- Lost earning potential
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and trauma
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
Reach out to our lawyers to determine whether you have the right to file a lawsuit.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in North Carolina?
Our law firm handles cases on a contingency fee basis. What that means is we take a percentage of your settlement or verdict. The amount depends entirely on how much compensation we win in your case.
Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Workplace Accident in North Carolina?
You can recover workers’ compensation benefits even if you were responsible for your workplace injury. It’s a no-fault system. However, you’ll lose your right to compensation entirely under North Carolina’s strict contributory negligence law if you were partially responsible for your injuries and pursue a personal injury claim.
Our Workers’ Compensation Attorneys in Charlotte Will Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Injuries
Our team at Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys is equipped to handle any type of injury claim, including cases involving:
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Nerve damage
- Shoulder injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Hearing loss
- Eye injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Chest injuries
- Facial injuries
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
If you were injured on the job, call our Charlotte workers’ compensation attorneys to learn more about your right to benefits today.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Workplace Accidents in Charlotte?
Workplace injuries happen for different reasons. Negligent or careless behavior is a common cause of injuries. Some common causes of workplace accidents include:
- Lack of proper safety equipment
- Negligent hiring practices
- Dangerous property conditions
- Negligent security
- Failure to adequately train or supervise employees
- Communication failures
- Ignoring safety regulations
- Failure to maintain property
- Understaffing
- Inadequate lighting
You don’t have to prove fault to receive workers’ compensation benefits. However, you deserve to know why your accident occurred. If someone other than your employer was responsible, you could have rights under North Carolina personal injury laws.
How Long Do I Have to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim After a Workplace Accident in North Carolina?
Notify your employer immediately if you were injured on the job or were diagnosed with a work-related illness. You must notify your employer orally and in writing. If you wait longer than 30 days to provide notice, you jeopardize your right to workers’ compensation benefits. The statute of limitations in North Carolina is three years for personal injury cases. If you can file a lawsuit, you must do it within three years of your workplace injury or diagnosis.
Contact a Skilled Charlotte Workers’ Compensation Lawyer for a Free Case Review Today
Do you have questions about your right to workers’ comp benefits in Charlotte, North Carolina? A Charlotte workers’ compensation lawyer can help. Contact Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys to learn more about your options today and schedule your free consultation.
