North Carolina Workers' Compensation Lawyer Blog

The state of Washington is locked in a bitter and public battle over the future of WA’s workers’ compensation system -- and the results could have profound implications for workers’ comp in other states, such as North Carolina workers’ compensation. Per an AP story on January 2nd, the Business Industry Association of Washington (BIAW) is filing to get an initiative on the November ballot to privatize workers’ comp insurance. In order to get this issue put to a vote, the BIAW must collect nearly a quarter million signatures from voters. The BIAW has been backed extensively by state Conservatives and Republicans -- and the organization is strongly opposed by state Democrats. At issue is whether Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries would have to compete with private insurers to market workers’ comp insurance products.

The BIAW and its allies argue that the Washington workers’ comp system is oppressive to small businesses -- Washington has traditionally provided excellent and extensive benefits to injured and ill workers. Labor unions and other allies opposed to the BIAW’s proposition have countered that Washington’s system is fine as it is. The Democratic house speaker for the state was quoted in the AP article as saying that, if the BIAW’s proposal passes, it would be “an absolute tragedy.”

As for whether this debate might influence North Carolina workers’ compensation policy, it remains to be seen. Our state is obviously very different, both in terms of the kinds of industries we support, our rules governing how and when small businesses can purchase North Carolina workers’ compensation insurance, and so forth.

Nevertheless, given the political tone of the nation -- in the wake of Republican Scott Brown winning the late Senator Teddy Kennedy’s seat in Massachusetts -- all bets may be off in terms of political surprises across the nation.

To stay in touch with the latest developments regarding North Carolina workers’ compensation policy, you can visit the North Carolina Industrial Commission’s website. If you have any questions regarding your benefits -- or the benefits that a spouse or friend or partner may be eligible for -- it could behoove you to speak with a reputable and highly credentialed attorney right away.

More Web Resources:

Business Industry Association of Washington (BIAW)

North Carolina Industrial Commission’s website

North Carolina workers’ compensation policy experts are exploring the deep ramifications of Massachusetts’ special senatorial election. On Tuesday the 19th -- nearly one year to the day after President Obama’s inauguration -- Republican Scott Brown defeated Democratic incumbent Martha Coakley in a competition for the late Senator Ted Kennedy’s seat. Brown ran specifically to provide the 41st vote for Republicans in the Senate -- thereby depriving Democrats of the votes they need to squash a Republican filibuster of the proposed Democratic healthcare bill. The implications coming out of the Massachusetts election are many and are profound.

We’re going to talk a little bit about how specifically they might influence North Carolina workers’ compensation policy. The Democratic healthcare bill that was pushed through the senate over Christmas (with 60 Democrat votes) would have significantly altered the US healthcare system on both federal and state levels. How precisely such a reform might have influenced North Carolina workers’ compensation benefits, insurance pricing, and so forth would be difficult to predict -- the law of unintended consequences, after all, suggests that it’s not easy to make determinations of this nature before, during, or even after the fact.

Nevertheless, one might assume that massive healthcare reform would have significantly changed the landscape for employers, employees, insurers, and state regulators alike. Scott Brown’s election, however, throws a new wrench into an already wrench-filled situation. Democrats still have a number of options at their disposal to push through some form of healthcare reform. If they succeed, this obviously could change the landscape of North Carolina workers’ compensation insurance policy. If they abandon their efforts -- or at least delay them -- it could have other, very different implications.

The only certainty in this fluid and fast changing situation is the certainty of uncertainty. In other words, the chaos surrounding whether or not a national healthcare bill may or may not pass ITSELF will likely have an impact on North Carolina workers’ compensation system, even if it’s an indirect one and one that’s difficult to measure precisely with our current statistical tools.

Theoretical considerations aside, if you or a loved one has a practical North Carolina workers’ compensation question regarding your benefits, insurance rules, deadlines, filing requirements, etc., connect with a veteran North Carolina workers’ compensation attorney asap.

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Scott Brown victory speech

Republican Filibuster of Health Care Bill?

North Carolina workers’ compensation experts are cheering some new numbers released about accidental workplace deaths in the state. According to 2009 statistics compiled by the state’s Department of Labor, only 35 workers across North Carolina were killed on the job last year. Eight of these deaths resulted from explosions or fires; six resulted from projectile objects; five resulted from crushing injuries; and three deaths resulted from electrocution. June, 2009 saw the highest number of workplace fatalities in the state -- due to the Slim Jim plant explosion that occurred early in that month. According to the DOL, no one was killed in April, 2009.

More good news: the DOL numbers have shown a steady but significant decline in the past several years. In 2008, 56 workers died on the job. In 2007, 45 workers were killed.

The rate of injuries and illnesses on the job also seems to be in decline. Back in 2004, around 4.1 workers out of 100 reported some kind of injury or illness. That number dropped to 4 out of 100 in 2005. By 2007, that number was down to 3.7 out of 100. And last year, the number dropped again to 3.4 out of 100.

To what do North Carolina workers’ compensation experts credit this improvement in safety and decline in illnesses and injuries? Like all issues of epidemiology, it can be very difficult to tease out causation from data like these. Sure, experts may point to safety improvements in this or that industry, and some can suggest that better sanitary measures taken at work or improvements in safety equipment might be responsible for some of the decline in deaths and illnesses. But without a rigorous comprehensive scrutiny of the evidence (and even then, you can probably question the validity of any findings), no one will likely be able to pinpoint where state workers and employers are “going right.” That being said, however, the DOL will no doubt continue to track trends to look for meaningful associations that might suggest potential programs, infrastructure changes, or strategies to help keep NC workers safe and healthy.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury at work -- or if a family member was unfortunately killed while on the job -- you may be eligible for substantial North Carolina workers’ compensation benefits. However, given how complicated the benefits disbursal system can be, it may behoove you to connect with an attorney who specializes in this kind of work to ensure that you get the payments you deserve -- when you deserve them -- and that you don’t suffer any undue harassment or stalling on the part of insurance companies or employers.

More Web Resources:

North Carolina Department of Labor

NC Slim Jim plant explosion 6/2009

For extensive and detailed North Carolina workers’ compensation assistance, look to either the North Carolina Industrial Commission (NCIC) or to a reputable, experienced attorney to handle questions about benefits, disputes with employers or insurance companies, and other strategic or tactical concerns.

This essay will give you some insight into a question that many injury workers have -- namely, whether an occupational injury or illness acquired will be compensable under the law.

What is occupational disease?

Technically, it is a condition that is caused/exacerbated by a particular kind of job or job process -- or is characteristic of a certain profession. For instance, chimney sweeps in the days of old used to get all sorts of lung ailments -- the occupational diseases of chimney sweeping.

A disease must meet four parameters in order for it to be considered “occupational.”

1. The disease has to be “peculiar” to a kind of work or industry.

As we’ve mentioned in our previous example, certain exotic lung ailments would be peculiar to people who spend ten to twelve hours a day cleaning chimneys. Similarly, individuals who operate sewing machines for twelve to fourteen hours a day, for instance, may experience repetitive stress injuries due to repetitious fine movement of the fingertips. Conversely, a sewing operator would have a hard time proving that her type 1 diabetes is an occupational disease, since diabetes does not show an exaggerated prevalence among her coworkers.

2. The employee must get that disease or illness while working in a particular line of work.

Consider the case of a concert violinist who plays in a philharmonic who develops severe burns to her back. Unless she got the burns while engaged in the course of her work -- for instance, maybe she had an accident in the kitchen or got electrocuted or got caught in a fire -- she cannot claim that the burns resulted directly from an occupational disease.

3. The occupation needs to present a hazard.

To build on our previous example, our violinist might be at for developing soft tissue injuries, such as tennis elbow, rotator-cuff damage, repetitive stress injury, etc. After all, playing the violin requires hours and hours of repetitious movements of the hands, fingers, and arms.

4. The incidence of the disease is higher than it is in the normal population.

As we mentioned earlier, chimney sweeps tend to develop lung ailments at a much more exaggerated rate than do people in other walks of life. Violinists and sewing machine operators, likewise, suffer a higher than average incidence of repetitive strain and myofascial problems.

If you, a friend, or coworker suffers from occupational disease, and you need help with your North Carolina workers’ compensation benefits, a reputable attorney can provide you with guidance to ensure that the insurance companies and your employers treat you fairly.

More Web Resources:

North Carolina Industrial Commission (NCIC)

Occupational Disease

Most North Carolina workers’ compensation matters never wind up at trial. Usually, if there’s a dispute between a claimant and his or her employer or his or her insurance company, an arrangement can be ironed out.

However, in some cases, an insurance company or employer can act so egregiously that the only recourse is to pursue recompense in court. Here are some things to consider when debating whether or not to go to trial over your North Carolina workers’ compensation matter.

1. The process can be time consuming.

The judicial process is slow, sometimes aggravatingly so. You may be called into the courtroom multiple times over the course of months. You and your attorney alike may have a lot of logistical work to do to prepare. It can be months before a judge weighs in. So prepare yourself for a lot of starts and stops -- and budget your time and patience accordingly.

2. Prepare for potentially brutal tactics.

Insurance companies can be quite aggressive -- and even nasty -- when defending decisions to deny coverage or to refuse to pay out a policy. In some cases, companies have actually videotaped plaintiffs on the sly in the hopes of catching them “acting uninjured.” These companies argue that they do this to prevent fraudulent claims, but if you are legitimately injured, this can seem to be quite a heartless tactic. Be prepared for assaults on your word and character, and work closely with your North Carolina workers’ compensation attorney to anticipate these tactics and defend against them accordingly.

3. How you dress and act in the courtroom counts.

In a perfect world, a trial would deal specifically with issues of law and nothing else. But human beings are susceptible to persuasion. How you conduct yourself in the courtroom, how you dress, how you articulate your stance, and how prompt you are to court proceedings can all dramatically influence a judge’s decision. To give yourself the best chances, dress appropriately (and soberly), be polite and attentive to everyone, think through your thoughts before speaking them out loud - particularly when you're addressing the judge, and mentally rehearse your trial prior to the date, so you can envision the best possible outcomes.

4. Prepare both for victory and for loss.

To make the waiting period less excruciatingly stressful, anticipate both victory and defeat scenarios, and focus on tasks immediately at hand to avoid getting caught up in needless speculation. The judge’s decision will come, and when it does come, you (along with your lawyer) can piece together your best next steps of action.

5. Even if a verdict goes your way, the insurance company may still watch you.

Many North Carolina workers’ compensation claimants win at trial only to find themselves in hot water months or even years later. Insurance companies can follow you to make sure that you are as injured as you say you are. If you give an opening, companies may retroactively attack your claim. Again, there have been instances of insurance companies videotaping claimants to try to catch them in the act of “being healthy” in order to negate a claim retroactively.

All this being said, one of the best strategies to ensure victory is to connect with a reputable, trial proven, and results driven North Carolina workers’ compensation lawyer as quickly as possible to create a prepared and proactive strategy.

More Web Resources:

Preparing for Trial

Dealing with Insurance Companies who Videotape People

Here is a brief primer on North Carolina workers’ compensation fraud -- including relevant laws passed by the North Carolina General Assembly as well as information, implications, and a toll-free hotline for fraud investigation.

Laws
In 1994, the state assembly passed the Workers’ Compensation Reform Act, which included statute 97-88.2 (outlining punishments for misrepresentation in a North Carolina workers’ compensation filing) as well as statute 97-88.3 (outlining punishments for healthcare providers who fail to follow the law.)

The following year, the state assembly changed statute 97-88.2 and empowered the North Carolina Industrial Commission (NCIC) to look into fraud violations of the 1994 WCRA.

In 1997, the North Carolina Assembly passed House Bill 618, which further amended two key statutes - 97-88.2 and 97-94 -- to spell out increased penalties for fraud and misrepresentation under the Workers’ Compensation Act.

Today, the NCIC operates a hotline at (888) 891-4895 from Monday through Friday during normal business hours.

Who can be accused of conducting fraud? Parties including but not limited to:
• employees/claimants
• employers/managers
• corporate officers
• administrators of third party services
• insurance adjusters/agents
• lawyers
• providers of healthcare services
• rehabilitation providers

Individuals who commit North Carolina workers’ compensation fraud imperil the whole system. Fraud drains millions of dollars that would otherwise go to claimants with legitimate problems. That being said, not all cases are cut and dried. Some individuals may accidentally commit North Carolina workers’ compensation fraud simply because they fail to fill out paperwork properly or fail to follow bureaucratic protocol. It’s not that they try to cheat the system, in other words; it’s that they do not understand how to operate within it effectively.

This isn’t to say that there are not some bad eggs out there who intentionally game the system. However, if you or a family member has been accused of this crime -- or if you're in need of other kinds of assistance filing or moving forward with your North Carolina workers’ compensation claim -- it may behoove you to connect with a knowledgeable attorney right away to discuss your concerns in confidence. A free consultation with a reputable attorney can put you on a strategic path to maximize your benefits and minimize your hassle.

More Web Resources:

NC Workers’ Compensation Reform Act

More about Workers Comp Fraud in NC

On December 15, Mecklenburg County passed a measure conferring domestic partner benefits to same sex couples in the area. While the implications of this measure’s passage on North Carolina workers’ compensation issues will no doubt be indirect, this shift in the state’s political winds could portend future modifications to benefits packages and insurance coverage for workers.

According to a news report, the measure passed by a vote of 6-3. (The debate among the voting commissioners was overtly hostile. One commissioner insulted another’s deceased son, prompting a vicious off-microphone exchange.) Mecklenburg County is now the seventh county in the state to provide benefits to same sex couples who work for the government. Others include Greensborough, Durham, and Chapel Hill.

What are the policy implications of this benefits extension for North Carolina workers’ compensation law? At this point in time, it’s difficult to make any firm conclusions. Both the law and cultural mores regarding same-sex marriage in North Carolina are fast evolving.

Advocates of domestic partnership argue that family members of injured workers often get short shrift when it comes to collecting on injury policies. If, for instance, a same-sex couple has been together for 30 years and the bread-winner gets hurt at work and ultimately dies from his injury, why should his partner be denied compensation from his employer and/or the state government?

More Web Resources:

Mecklenburg County

City to consider domestic partner benefits

Advocates for North Carolina workers’ compensation benefits rights are closely watching the drama currently unfolding in the US Senate regarding the health care bill. Democrats and Republicans have split entirely along party lines in the Senate -- 60-40. Democrats are poised to use their filibuster-proof margin to plow through a sweeping reform of our national healthcare system. Experts say this bill might have trillion dollar implications for our national economy -- and billion dollar implications for North Carolina’s economy.

So how might this bill impact North Carolina workers’ compensation policy? Given that the bill is currently thousands of pages long and contains so many sweeping changes to the system, it’s difficult to identify the key implications. But speculation abounds. Consider:

1. Massive institutional changes will likely lead to confusion in the short term.
With new rules for insurance companies, employers, and healthcare bureaucrats likely to be put in place, we should expect a certain degree of chaos initially. After all, any time a sweeping piece of legislation gets passed, confusion reigns.

2. The broad political implications might trickle down to impact the debate over North Carolina workers’ compensation coverage.

The 2009 healthcare debate has widened the already gaping schism between the national Republican and Democratic parties. In North Carolina -- a state that President Obama won in 2008 by a small margin -- the political ramifications of the bill’s passage for both Dems and Republicans could be huge. If the two major parties find it more difficult to work congenially with one another following this bill’s passage, this could delay pending legislation regarding North Carolina workers’ compensation, for instance.

3. Many more questions have been raised than answered.
Will this new law ultimately lead to lower premiums and more affordable coverage for small businesses? Will North Carolina workers with preexisting conditions get better coverage and thus recover faster from injuries and illnesses? Will the tremendous cost of the national bill impact the state’s economy indirectly and thus indirectly compel business owners to cut budgets and drop employees to stay competitive? How will companies that provide North Carolina health and workers’ compensation insurance adapt to the changing national environment? Will these companies adhere to the law or find ways to skirt it? Will the new rules strangle them or make them more vigorous and accountable to the public?

With so many different questions up in the air, politicians and policy makers alike are holding their tongues to see what cascading effects this bill might have.

More Web Resources:

Health Care Bill 101

Democrat 60-40 Margin: What It Means

According to a December 19 article in the Herald Sun, around 200,000 unemployed North Carolina workers could see their benefits ended unless the US Congress re-ups its Emergency Unemployment Compensation program (part of a nearly $800 billion package entitled the American Reinvestment & Recovery Act).

While jobless employees can still collect North Carolina workers’ compensation, this funding shortfall could further destabilize the state’s already stagnant economy. The Byzantine nature of the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program does not seem to be helping matters, either. Consider:

The initial program was to be funded equally by the federal government and the state government. Now, due to technicalities regarding the EUC, it’s funded 100 percent by the federal government. A spokesperson for a consultancy based out of Chapel Hill noted that one of the biggest problems is the so-called trigger system. Filers are sorted into one of four tiers. Once you exhaust the weeks of benefits within your tier, you can apply to file under a different tier. All this bureaucracy appears to jam the system and make filing vastly more complicated.

Adding to the headache is North Carolina’s rate of unemployment, which tipped double digits in the fall and now stands at around 11 percent (although the Research Triangle has a slightly lower rate).

So what's the bottom line in terms of North Carolina workers’ compensation policy? First of all, the impacts of the 2007-2008 Recession will surely reverberate into 2010 and beyond. Second, according to the North Carolina Employment Security Commission’s Deputy Chairman, if the US Congress fails to extend unemployment benefits, the ramifications for workers on unemployment and workers’ comp could be devastating. Third of all, the disappointing numbers might inspire more innovative policy approaches. Think tanks and policy groups are already coordinating about how to rejigger the system to keep unemployed, underemployed and disabled workers financially afloat as the state economy stabilizes.

If you're worried about unemployment or workers’ comp benefits running out due to the vagaries of the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, it may behoove you to connect ASAP with a qualified and experienced North Carolina workers’ compensation attorney.

More Web Resources:

Added jobless benefits program set to expire

North Carolina record unemployment rate

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) found that scaffolding failures and the failure of fall protections rose this year by almost 30 percent over 2008 numbers -- indicating a new source of danger for North Carolina workers.

The national numbers complied by OSHA do not necessarily correlate directly with North Carolina numbers, but they point to acute risks that NC workers face day-to-day and suggest how many 2010 North Carolina workers’ compensation cases might arise.

1. According to OSHA, nationally there were nearly 9,100 scaffolding violations due to poor signage, unmarked dangers from falling objects, and slip and fall hazards.

2. Fall protection failures numbered over 6,700. According to OSHA, anyone who works over four feet above ground must be protected from fall risks. Fall injuries can lead to contusions, lacerations, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, and even wrongful death.

3. OSHA handed out nearly 6,400 violations for “hazard communication.” These include failures to correctly fill out safety data sheets and failures to label hazardous chemicals and other materials.

4. OSHA handed out just over 3,800 violations for respiratory protection infractions. Workers in industries like mining, construction, and painting must protect their lungs from particulate matter and other pollutants -- without respirators and other key equipment, these workers can fall ill on the job and also be at greater risk for chronic diseases, such as lung cancer and emphysema.

5. Other common violations related to: lock out/tag, electrical failures, ladder problems, powered industrial trucks, and failures to guard machines effectively.

If you or a loved one has been hurt at work due to improperly implemented safety procedures -- even if you were partially at fault -- you can stake a claim for North Carolina workers’ compensation. It may behoove you to discuss your matter with an attorney ASAP to protect your rights and collect your maximum allowable compensation amount.

More Web Resources:

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)

Biggest Dangers at Work

As we discussed in our first post on this subject, the North Carolina workers’ compensation system has been strained by a staggering variety of factors. Here are five more key challenges that policymakers may want to address seriously.

6. Weather.

The issue of climate change is on everyone’s minds. Following the inconclusive resolution to the recent Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change and the revelations that researchers at East Anglia University cherry picked data and prevented skeptics from publishing in peer review journals, many North Carolinians have soured on the idea that global warming is manmade (and that we have the wherewithal to do anything about it, if it is). Regardless, uncertainties regarding the state’s climate indirectly impact business investment, which in turn might impact North Carolina workers’ compensation insurance rates and other policies. For instance, let’s say that a small business owner wants to commission a fleet of boats but worries about possible hurricane damage. Her uncertainty about the science of climate change could impact her business’s investment decision and thus indirectly impact the number of jobs in NC and the rates for insurance, and so forth.

7. General changes to insurance rates.

Wayne Goodwin, the North Carolina Insurance Commissioner, announced a few months ago that North Carolina workers’ compensation insurance rates would be decreased by 9.6 percent -- netting employers throughout the state a savings of around $100 million. How might this rate cut impact the benefit system is anyone’s guess. Employers seem to appreciate getting a break during these difficult economic times. But just because small business owners in general like the proposal doesn’t mean that good things will not necessarily come out of it -- and the uncertainty could even cause some problems.

8. Outsourcing.

Although North Carolina’s Research Triangle continues to produce income for the state at a prodigious rate, local economists remain concerned about how outsourcing of industry tasks might morph the state’s economy. With unemployment now in the double digits, more than a few North Carolinians are advocating for restrictions on certain kinds of outsourcing and for increasing taxes on those who do send work overseas or to other states.

9. Immigration.

Although the debate over immigration does not attract the kinds of headlines it did two or three years ago, North Carolina’s population nevertheless continues to evolve and transmogrify. With radical demographic shifts becoming normal for the state, it stands to reason that the flux will have profound ramifications for workers’ comp benefits policy.

10. Actions of other states and the federal government.

North Carolina is not an island unto itself. It is interdependent. The actions of the federal government and of neighboring states -- particularly Virginia, South Carolina, and Maryland -- can have huge impacts on the state economy. The actions of these states are largely outside of our control. And they add yet another layer of uncertainty to an already tumultuous mix.

If you or someone you know has been hurt at work or has fallen ill, connect today with a North Carolina workers’ compensation lawyer to learn about your rights and potential benefits.

More Web Resources:

North Carolina’s Research Triangle

Wayne Goodwin, the North Carolina Insurance Commissioner

The North Carolina workers’ compensation system faces daunting challenges in the upcoming decade. Here are some of the foremost problems that pose issues for workers, small business owners, insurance companies, and the state government alike in the year ahead.

1. Epidemic of texting-while-driving is causing many more accidents.

As North Carolina workers become more and more dependent on cellular devices to communicate with clients, friends, and family members, more and more people across the state are getting into injury accidents caused by or exacerbated by mobile device use. A recent study out of Virginia Tech (this summer) concluded that texting while driving increases the risk of getting into an accident by a whopping 21 times -- that’s significantly more dangerous than driving DUI. Other studies at various independent institutions have confirmed this. Unless we somehow curtail this epidemic of texting while driving, more injury cases will swamp the system.

2. Other distractions at work, such as social networking websites, make employees less attentive to critical tasks.

An endless stream of media distractions competes for the attention of North Carolinians -- not just in private and at home but also at work. Many independent studies show that workers who do not concentrate effectively on specific tasks perform these tasks more poorly and less ergonomically. Collectively, the distraction of our state workers is bound to lead to increases in on-the-job accidents -- everything from ladder falls to machinery accidents to the ignoring of posted warning signs to devastating effect.

3. A failure to resuscitate the state’s economy could lead to desperate and unwise cost cutting measures.

Small business owners -- and large companies alike (such as Wachovia and Bank of America) -- have been tightening their belts to compensate for the downturn in the state and national economies. Some of this belt-tightening has yielded improvements in efficiency. And many economists argue that the current NC unemployment rate of around 11 percent is not as bad as the pessimists would have us fear. But the reality is that economic hard times can drive small business owners and workers alike to do dangerous things to keep financially afloat. An independent contractor, for instance, may forego hiring help and attempt to do more work himself. This can put him at risk for increased fatigue and thus increase his risk for getting hurt on the job. Similarly, business owners may be more likely to take risky and perhaps illegal steps to protect their budgets. For instance, a small business owner may forego taking out North Carolina workers’ compensation insurance to cut corners -- thus leaving his employees unprotected and setting up serious legal problems down the line which could suck up valuable court time and drain the resources of all litigants.

4. As the stale economy lingers, more workers and employers will become depressed and irritable, which will collectively hurt productivity and set the stage for accidents and injuries.

When you're depressed, inattentive, anxious, and constantly engaged with financial fears, you don’t work as well, and you don’t communicate with others as effectively. Factors such as worker fatigue, miscommunication, and inability to follow protocol all contribute to injury risk and risk for accidents. Unless our economy stabilizes quickly, we’re likely to see increases in all of these risk factors across industries, which will put hard to identify but nevertheless real and serious strains on the state’s infrastructure.

5. Climate of uncertainty leads to problematic behavior.

How might the massive new Democratic sponsored healthcare bill impact North Carolina workers’ compensation policies? Will the federally funded unemployment benefits run out in 2010? How will the North Carolina workers’ compensation insurance rate slash (due to go into effect in April 2010) impact everything? Will the state’s economy languish or lunge forward? All of these factors and dozens of others can create a climate of confusion and fear in the minds not only of policymakers but also in the minds of bosses and workers. When we collectively lose confidence in our ability to forecast the future of North Carolina workers’ compensation and unemployment policies, costs tend to skyrocket.

If you or a coworker or family member has been hurt on the job in North Carolina, you may benefit greatly from a free, confidential, and zero obligation consultation with a creditable and proven North Carolina workers’ compensation attorney.

More Web Resources:

Texting While Driving is Dangerous

Distractions at Work