Charlotte, NC Workers' Compensation Lawyers

When you show up to work each day, you don’t think that today is the day you will suffer an injury on the job. Unfortunately, accidents happen. For every 100 full-time workers in North Carolina in the year 2019, for example, 2.3 suffered work-related injuries or illnesses. While this is less than in many other states across the nation, the fact remains that tens of thousands of workers in North Carolina sustain injuries at work each year. Any type of injury can occur, but some happen more frequently than others. Here’s a look at 10 of the most common workplace injuries in North Carolina. Slip and Falls Slip and falls, or trip and falls, are common injuries both in and out of the workplace. People injure themselves by slipping on or tripping over objects on a daily basis. Health care workers, restaurant workers, and grocery store employees are especially susceptible to tripping or slipping. Overexertion Many workers have jobs that involve a lot of physical exertion, such as pushing and lifting. Move beyond your normal range of motion, and you might end up with an overexertion injury. Common examples include strains, sprains, and tears. Falling from Heights Falling from a higher elevation is a terrifying experience. It can also result in significant injuries, such as broken bones, or worse head and spinal injuries. Construction site workers are especially prone to falls from heights if they work with scaffolding or ladders or climb out on ledges. Bodily Reaction Bodily reaction injuries occur when you try to avoid a mishap, and you are injured by the action you take to avoid injury. A typical example is when you slip and try to prevent a fall, but you are injured when you catch yourself. Motor Vehicle Accidents Workers whose job duties require them to operate a car or other type of motor vehicle are much more likely to have a compensation claim involving a motor vehicle accident. Even the best drivers cannot always prevent an accident from happening. Depending on the circumstances of the accident, you could have a workers’ compensation claim plus a third-party liability claim against the other driver. Hit by an Object Not all fall injuries involve a person falling. In some cases, injuries occur when an object falls. These are potentially dangerous events because the falling object often lands on the person’s head. Even a fall from only a few inches could cause a brain injury. Walking into Things Other common workers’ compensation claims involve potentially embarrassing injuries, such as walking into a wall or a door at work. Workplace injuries resulting from bumping into a hard object are some of the typical workers’ compensation claims in North Carolina, so you aren’t alone. Repetitive Stress Injuries Workers who perform the same tasks regularly, such as typing or working on a machine assembly line, are the ones who are most at risk for repetitive stress injuries. For example, someone who types on a computer all day is more likely to have carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis. Machinery Accidents Anyone who works with machinery and equipment could become entangled in the machine, resulting in potentially catastrophic injuries. Someone could have an article of clothing, or a body part or even their hair become tangled in a machine, causing injury. Workers should have proper safety equipment and receive a briefing on all safety precautions. Regardless of how the injury occurred, there is a good chance North Carolina workers’ compensation benefits will cover it. Workplace Violence Sadly, workplace violence also makes it on the top 10 list for the most common work-related injuries in North Carolina. You could have a physical altercation with another employee, or a former disgruntled employee may come back to exact their revenge. In many cases, injuries can be catastrophic or even fatal. Certain factors increase the likelihood of workplace violence, such as working where alcohol is served or where money is exchanged with members of the public. Higher-risk employees include public service workers, delivery drivers, and healthcare employees. Contact a North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Lawyer If you sustained injuries in the workplace, you need to speak with one of our Board Certified North Carolina workers’ compensation lawyers at Mehta & McConnell, PLLC. With our expertise in workers’ compensation claims, you can rest assured that we can help you navigate the confusing aspects of workers’ compensation benefits. Contact our office today to schedule an initial consultation and learn more about how we can assist you.

If you have sustained a workplace injury, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Understandably, you are likely wondering what type of benefits you are eligible for. North Carolina workers’ compensation laws establish the various kinds of benefits workers can receive. There are four main categories of disability benefits, including permanent total disability workers’ compensation. To better understand what type of North Carolina workers’ compensation benefits you should be seeking, speak with a Board Certified Workers’ Compensation specialist at Mehta & McConnell, PLLC. Under workers’ compensation laws in North Carolina, the term disability refers to the inability to earn your regular wages due to a work-related injury rather than the physical injury itself. Here is a look at the four different types of workers’ disabilities in North Carolina. Temporary Total Disability Temporary total disability benefits (TTD) are what you should receive if you cannot work for more than seven days. Essentially, the first seven days are without benefits. The seven days do not necessarily have to be consecutive, but they must be days you would have otherwise worked. If you qualify for temporary total disability benefits, you will receive approximately two-thirds of your average weekly wage, not to exceed $1,102.00 (2021 maximum). If your disability lasts more than 21 days, you could be eligible to receive retroactive benefits for the first seven days of work missed. Temporary Partial Disability Temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits can provide the difference in what you made before your injury and what you can earn during your recovery. This type of workers’ compensation disability is available if you cannot perform the same amount of work or you are temporarily in a different lower-paying position while you recover. If you receive TTD benefits while unable to work, you usually can receive TPD benefits once you return if you meet the criteria. Note, the same seven-day waiting period still applies. Permanent Partial Disability Permanent partial disability (PPD) is reserved for employees who sustain permanent damage to a portion of their body or their senses. You can continue to work; however, your injury permanently reduces your capacity to work.  At some point during your recovery, your doctor will declare you have reached maximum medical improvement or MMI. This means you have recovered as much as the doctor expects you to. If you have permanent damage, the doctor will assign a permanent impairment rating. You should not sign the form and agree to their rating without a second opinion. It’s also best to speak with a North Carolina workers’ compensation attorney to ensure you get the highest rating you are entitled to receive. Permanent Total Disability If your injuries prevent you from working at all once you reach MMI, you could receive permanent total disability (PTD). These benefits are reserved for injuries that reduce your overall quality of life and prevent you from working at all. These types of injuries can continue to deteriorate, resulting in new conditions. There are strict requirements you must meet before receiving PTD compensation. One of the four following conditions must exist: You sustained a spinal injury that resulted in paralysis of your upper, lower, trunk, or entire body; You lost a combination of two of the following: feet, legs, hands, arms, and eyes; You sustained second- or third-degree burns to a minimum of one-third of your body; or You sustained a severe head injury or brain damage that resulted in permanent damage. The amount of compensation will depend on what part of your body is injured, along with your assigned impairment rating. There is a schedule that lists the maximum number of weeks for each body part and your senses. Contact a North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Lawyer If you suffered a workplace injury in North Carolina, you don’t have to navigate the workers’ compensation system alone. Let our board-certified workers’ compensation lawyers help. The skilled legal team at Mehta & McConnell, PLLC will be there with you every step of the process. Our priority is to ensure you receive the maximum benefits possible. To learn more about how we can assist you, contact our office today.

Lowes’s is one of the largest employers in the United States, with well over 200,000 full-time employees and 120,000 part-time employees. With Lowes’s corporate headquarters in North Carolina, Lowe’s employs several thousand people in the state. It is one of the more popular chain hardware stores.  There are a number of ways that Lowe’s employees can injure themselves. Given the fact that it is a hardware store and supplier of home goods, some of the work is quite physical. It is usually easy to file a workers’ compensation claim in North Carolina. Most work injuries heal fairly quickly and the employee returns to work. But some work injuries are serious and long-lasting. In many cases, Lowes will dispute a work injury. You have a right to legal representation for any injury suffered while working for Lowes’s. The lawyers at Mehta & McConnell have been representing injured workers in the greater Charlotte area and throughout North Carolina, and have over 30 years of experience in the area of workers’ compensation law. You do not have to go through this alone. We are here to help you seek the benefits that you deserve. What Benefits Does Lowe’s Workers’ Compensation Pay? In North Carolina, if you are injured at work, you are entitled to receive wage benefits for every week that you are off work due to the injury. For every week that you were off of work, you should receive two-thirds of your average weekly wages. You will receive these wage benefits until you return back to full-duty work. If you cannot return to work, you may be able to seek permanent wage benefits. Another benefit you receive is the payment of your work-related medical bills. No matter what it takes to repair your injury and get you back to 100%, your employer and their workers’ compensation insurance company is responsible to pay for all the medical bills. No money should come out of your pocket to pay for any medical treatment. What Should I Do After a Work Injury? There are many things that you should do immediately after you experience a work injury at Lowe’s. Report the Injury Report the injury to your supervisor and make sure your employer completes an injury report. Check that the report has the complete facts about the injury, including when and where it happened, how it happened, and what areas of the body you believe are injured. Seek Medical Treatment Many people feel that they can put off treatment with a doctor for several days to see if they get better on their own. This is a big mistake. The sooner you see a doctor after your work accident the better. By treating with a doctor immediately, you establish that a work injury occurred. You can also get a jump on beginning a treatment plan so that you can get better and get back to work. If you don’t see a doctor, Lowe’s can claim that there was no injury. This is dangerous if, in the future, your injury is much worse than you initially believed and requires significant treatment, like surgery. Contact an Attorney Speak to an experienced workers’ compensation attorney. Even if your claim has been accepted and things seem to be going well, you still should talk to a skilled and experienced workers’ compensation lawyer. You do not have to go through this alone. What Happens If Lowe’s Denies My Claim?  If Lowes denies your claim, it is very important for you to contact us so that our experienced workers’ comp lawyers can fight for your rights. We will file a claim and bring the case in front of a workers’ compensation judge. We will take care of everything so you can focus on getting better.  Contact the Lowe’s Workers’ Comp Lawyers at Mehta & McConnell and Have Us Fight for Your Benefits Just because Lowes is a huge company, it does not mean they can deny claims based on valid work injuries. Our attorneys have over 30 years of combined legal experience, and we are invested in helping injured workers just like you. If you were injured while working at Lowe’s, we are here to use our skills, knowledge, and resources to get you the wage and medical benefits that you deserve. Contact us today to set up an initial consultation.