A construction accident claim in North Carolina allows an injured worker to recover medical benefits and wage-loss compensation through the workers’ compensation system – and, where a third party’s negligence caused the accident, to file a separate personal injury lawsuit for damages not covered by comp. Charlotte construction sites fall under the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act and are also subject to OSHA safety standards enforced by the NC Department of Labor. When either framework is violated and a worker is injured, two legal paths may be available. Mehta and McConnell, PLLC, represents construction workers in both workers’ comp proceedings before the NC Industrial Commission and third-party personal injury claims in Mecklenburg County Superior Court.
If you or a loved one has been injured on a construction site due to the negligent actions of another, we can help you file your workers’ comp claim. Contact our attorneys at Mehta & McConnell, PLLC today at 980-399-5479 for a free consultation.
Key Takeaways
- Construction workers in Charlotte face some of the highest on-the-job injury risks of any industry, including falls from heights, struck-by accidents, equipment failures, and electrocution.
- Injured construction workers in North Carolina are typically entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, including medical treatment and wage replacement, regardless of who was at fault.
- Insurance companies frequently dispute construction workers’ average weekly wages and medical treatment approvals, delays and denials that an experienced attorney can challenge on your behalf.
- Undocumented workers in Charlotte are protected under North Carolina’s Workers’ Compensation Act, and immigration status cannot lawfully be used to deny an otherwise compensable claim.
- In some construction accident cases involving third-party negligence, a personal injury claim may be filed in addition to a workers’ comp claim, which can result in additional compensation beyond what workers’ comp alone provides.
Common Construction Accident Injuries at Charlotte’s Active Job Sites and Development Zones
There are many common construction injuries. Risks from construction work include, but are not limited to:
- Falls, which may often be from working at heights,
- Being struck by objects on the construction site,
- Being injured by a collapsing structure, such as scaffolding,
- Injuries from equipment,
- Electrocution, and
- Injuries caused by the negligence of other workers.
Construction workers who are injured while working on a construction site are likely entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits in North Carolina.
Unfortunately, there may be delays in the authorization of medical treatment and lost wages compensation.
In addition, disputes may arise over an injured worker’s average weekly wage, which may affect how much you are entitled to receive in wage-loss benefits.
Disputes over the course of medical treatment are also common. Medical treatment, especially surgery, can be expensive and may take several weeks or even months to complete.
Many construction workers in North Carolina may be improperly documented.
Insurance companies may seek to use an individual’s immigration status as a reason to deny an otherwise compensable workers’ compensation claim.
After a construction injury in Charlotte, the workers’ comp process begins with filing a Form 18 Notice of Accident with the NC Industrial Commission. Your employer’s insurance carrier then has 30 days to accept or deny the claim. Disputes often arise over your average weekly wage calculation, maximum medical improvement (MMI) determinations, and whether you qualify for temporary total disability (TTD) or permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits. Where an OSHA violation by a general contractor or subcontractor contributed to your accident, a third-party personal injury claim outside the comp system may allow recovery of pain and suffering damages that workers’ comp does not cover.
Why Charlotte Construction Accident Victims Choose Mehta & McConnell
- Workers’ Comp and Personal Injury Experience in One Firm: Construction accident claims in Charlotte can involve both workers’ comp and third-party personal injury liability. Our firm handles both sides, helping injured workers pursue every avenue of recovery available under NC law.
- Board-Certified Workers’ Comp Specialists: Viral Mehta and Jason McConnell are North Carolina State Bar board-certified in workers’ compensation law, a designation held by fewer than 1% of attorneys in the state.
- Protection for All Workers, Regardless of Immigration Status: North Carolina’s Workers’ Compensation Act covers all workers, and we represent construction workers across Charlotte and Mecklenburg County regardless of their documentation status.
- Fighting Insurance Delays, Denials, and Disputes: We understand how insurers challenge construction injury claims, including disputes over average weekly wages and medical treatment, and we handle those disputes so you can focus on healing.
- No Upfront Fees: We offer a free consultation and work on a contingency basis, so you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Contact Our North Carolina Construction Accident Attorneys
The Charlotte construction accident lawyers of Mehta & McConnell, PLLC will fight to recover the workers’ compensation benefits to which you are entitled.
Finally, due to the hazardous nature of construction, the unfortunate reality is that many accidents result in death.
In such cases, the deceased worker’s dependents or next of kin are entitled to receive compensation under the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act.
The Board Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialists at Mehta & McConnell, PLLC can help determine the amount of compensation to a deceased employee’s beneficiaries.
You already work a very stressful job in the construction industry. The attorneys of Mehta & McConnell, PLLC can help take the stress out of your workers’ compensation claim.
We will help you identify the parties who are responsible for your workers’ compensation benefits.
We will help you calculate what you are owed in your claim, and we will work to ensure you receive the medical treatment and disability compensation you deserve while you recover from your injury.
Contact a Charlotte construction accident lawyer for a free and confidential consultation about your construction-related injury.