North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Explains How to Apply for Benefits for Workplace Injuries:
Accidents and injuries happen every day to workers, whether it’s at the workplace, at an offsite jobsite, or, in some cases, even at home. It can feel like a complicated process, so our workers’ compensation lawyers explain what you need to know:
Who Qualifies for Workers’ Compensation Benefits in North Carolina?
If you answer yes to the following questions, you should qualify for workers’ compensation benefits:
- Were you injured in an accident at work or do you suffer from a condition that was caused by your work?
- Do you work for a company with three or more employees?
- Did you report your accident or disease to your employer within thirty days of it occurring or receiving your diagnosis?
How Do I Apply for Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
If you answered yes to the previous questions, you are likely to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Your first step it to report the injury to your employer, which just means telling a manager or supervisor that you were injured. Your employer may have a form or incident report to complete, so it can provide notice of your injury to its workers’ compensation insurance carrier.
Why Is an Insurance Company Involved?
In North Carolina, workers’ compensation benefits are just a type of insurance claim. Like all insurance claims, the insurance company will investigate, which includes investigating ways they can deny your claim. Having an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer guide you through the insurance company’s investigation will help you avoid some common missteps that could lead to the insurance company’s refusal to give you the benefits you would otherwise be entitled to.
What Should I Do After I Report the Injury to My Employer?
Alerting your employer is only the first step in pursuing your workers’ compensation claim. You must also initiate your claim with the North Carolina Industrial Commission, the state agency that handles workers’ compensation matters. A workers’ compensation attorney can help with this paperwork.
What Do I Need to File With the Industrial Commission?
You need to file a Form 18 — Notice of Accident to Employer and Claim of Employee-Representative or Dependent for NC Workers’ Compensation Benefits with the Industrial Commission in order to formally initiate your workers’ compensation claim. Having an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer at this stage will ensure that this document is prepared and filed correctly. Once this document is filed, you have officially begun your workers’ compensation claim, which must then be either accepted or denied by your employer.
Learn more about workers’ compensation claims in North Carolina.