Suffering a workplace injury in Lincolnton or elsewhere in North Carolina can be a frightful experience. One minute, you’re going about your job unloading a truck when all of a sudden a forklift slams into your body—or perhaps it’s an occupational injury that you’ve sustained over years of repetitive action like scanning groceries or lifting heavy items while restocking the shelf.
A job-related injury can be painful and mortifying, but it’s vital that you keep calm, seek medical treatment and know that there’s a team of knowledgeable attorneys ready to work for you at the Wilder Pantazis Law Group. Our team has represented injured workers in Lincolnton and beyond for decades. You can count on us to see your case through from start to finish so that you can begin to heal.
Don’t settle for any run-of-the-mill legal team. We have extensive knowledge of the inner workings of workers’ compensation law, which can be incredibly advantageous to your case. Plus, we won’t stop working for you until you’ve secured all the benefits you’ve worked your whole life for.
Discover during your free consultation what an experienced legal team can bring to the table. We’ve helped hundreds of people overcome their injuries and secure a stronger financial future for themselves and their families. When you’re injured at work, it can be a scary and humbling experience, but don’t let those feelings cloud your judgement.
Your recovery doesn’t need to be overly difficult. Talk with one of our North Carolina attorneys for free today to find out more about your potential case. Help is just an email or phone call away. We will do the hard work of negotiating on your behalf for all possible financial and medical compensation—all you have to do is concentrate on healing so that you can be back on your feet in record time.
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Nuestro bufete se especializa en la ley de compensación laboral de Carolina del Norte y Carolina del Sur. Tenemos muchos años de experiencia apoyando a los trabajadores que han sufrido por una lesión de trabajo.
Visit our law firm near Lincolnton, NC
Address
3501 Monroe Rd
Charlotte, NC 28205
Call us
(704) 342-2243
Free Consultations
Hours
9:00am - 5:00pm (M-F)
Closed Saturday and Sunday
Our law office is located about 40 miles southwest from Lincolnton, in the Echo Hills area of Charlotte.
- Take US-321 South to I-85N (going east).
- Take US-74 East and exit onto Briar Creek Rd.
- Turn left in just under a mile onto Monroe Rd.
- Look for our office on the left-hand side.
Legal advice from an experienced North Carolina lawyer
A workplace injury doesn’t have to mean the end of your career, but if left untreated, it very well could. We’ve successfully represented clients in workers’ compensation cases for many years, and we take pride in our ability to secure the best possible outcome for you and your family.” – Attorney Beau Wilder
Workers’ compensation FAQ:
Getting injured in Lincolnton, NC
Discovering that you’ve been diagnosed with an occupational illness or suffering from a serious workplace injury doesn’t have to leave you feeling alone and helpless. Keep in mind that help is only an email or phone call away. Continue reading to learn about some important workers’ compensation laws, deadlines and benefits available to you in North Carolina.
Who is eligible for workers’ compensation in North Carolina?
According to the North Carolina’s Workers’ Compensation Act, any business that employs 3 or more employees—even those operating as sole proprietorships, corporations or limited liability companies (LLCs)—must purchase and carry workers’ compensation insurance at all times.
There are just a few exceptions to this rule, such as:
- Employees of certain railroads
- “Casual employees” who are not working in the usual course of trade, business or occupation of the employer
- Domestic workers directly employed by the household
- Farm laborers
- Federal government employees
In the case of federal employees, most are covered by federal workers’ compensation programs rather than the state-run program.
Is there a deadline (statute of limitations) for getting workers’ compensation?
Injured employees have just 2 years from the date of their workplace injury or occupational illness diagnosis to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. This statute is the same in both North and South Carolina.
It’s also important to note that injured employees only have 30 days to notify their employer when they sustain an on-the-job injury. Any delay will be seen as a “red flag” for the insurance company and your employer, and your claim could be denied as a result.
What benefits are available through workers’ compensation?
If you’re injured on the job in Lincolnton or Lincoln County, there are a number of ways you might be compensated:
- Lost wages. Employees who qualify for workers’ compensation benefits can expect a maximum of two-thirds your average weekly wage, with the maximum weekly benefit changing on a regular basis due to inflation. These are also commonly referred to as “wage loss” or “indemnity” benefits.
- Medical reimbursement. Qualified employees will have medical expenses and treatments covered, as well as any travel that’s further than 20 miles round trip at the rate of 54 cents per mile (as of 2016).
- Permanent partial disability (PPD). You may be entitled to PPD benefits (financial and medical) if you are unable to heal sufficiently enough to return to work.
- Vocational rehabilitation. If your injury or illness is so debilitating that you can’t return to your old job or are earning less income as a result, you may be eligible for vocational rehabilitation services.
- Death benefits. If a person dies due to a fatal workplace accident or job-related illness, then their surviving spouse, children and other family members may have access to wrongful death benefits, including two-thirds of the deceased’s pre-injury average weekly wage for 500 weeks, in addition to funeral and burial expenses totaling up to $10,000.
What should I do following a workplace accident?
The most immediate thing you should do if you’re seriously hurt on the job is to seek out medical attention as soon as possible. Some workplace injuries occur gradually over time, often from constant repetitive motion. In those cases, an emergency doctor’s visit might not be needed. But if you have any doubts or the pain is too much, call 911 right away.
Once your medical condition has stabilized, follow these steps:
- Report your injury to your manager or supervisor. Starting a paper trail is key to securing the maximum workers’ compensation benefits available to you. Put the notification in writing. Don’t assume that telling a coworker about your injury is enough. If you wait more than 30 days to report the injury, you could lose your ability to receive full benefits forever.
- Get a list of approved doctors from your employer. If you balk at using the doctors or specialists on the list your employer provides (referred to as the “panel of physicians”) and you proceed to use your own doctor, understand that your employer and their insurance company may use that as an excuse to deny you compensation.
- Submit the proper paperwork to the North Carolina Industrial Commission. Start by printing print Form 18 and submit the completed form to forms@ic.nc.gov. (Further details and a step-by-step description of the process necessary to complete can be found here.) As you begin this process, understand that it’s wise to reach out to an experienced local attorney so that you can bring their knowledge to bear in your case.
- Document the claim. Ask your employer for copies of all documents they have filed regarding your claim or on your behalf. Make certain you’ve made a copy of the Form 18 and ask your supervisor or manager for a written report on the incident. If they will not write one, you should.
- Update your employer. Keep your employer in the loop at every step of the process. If your doctor issues a stay-at-home order, excuses you from work or gives restrictions on the type of work you can perform, ask for this in writing and notify your manager immediately.
- Check with the insurance company. Verify that your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance company has been notified and a claim started. Get the name and phone number of the insurance company from whomever handles your workplace HR office. If possible, get the name of the person who is handling your claim. This person is the adjuster, and you are allowed to speak directly with that person.
- Consult an attorney. Lastly, speak with an attorney about your injuries and predicament. Many attorneys charge no fees until they’ve helped you recover the full workers’ compensation benefits you are entitled to. Here at the Wilder Pantazis Law Group, initial consultations are free too! We’ve helped thousands of injured workers overcome a variety of injuries and obstacles.
Hiring an experienced workers’ compensation attorney in your state ensures you receive proper treatment for your injuries and full compensation for lost wages.
About Lincolnton, North Carolina
The earliest inhabitants in and around the area that became Lincolnton, North Carolina, were native and indigenous peoples. During the Revolutionary War, The Battle of Ramsour’s Mill took place in June 1780 where the town of Lincolnton was to be established. The fight was between British loyalists and pro-independence forces. Following the Revolutionary war, the town and county were named after the Continental Army’s Major General Benjamin Lincoln.
In 1813, Lincolnton went on to become the site of North Carolina’s first textile mill and the first cotton mill built south of the Potomac River. Like much of the Carolinas in that time and since, the region was a major cotton production center, as well as tobacco, and was primarily inhabited by farmers and their families.
Located a little over 35 miles northwest of Charlotte, the population of Lincolnton has steadily grown over the decades, currently residing at roughly 11,200 residents. Lincoln County has 4 highschools, 4 middle schools and 13 elementary schools. The town also offers college-level classes at the Gaston College: Lincolnton Campus location.
A few famous faces who have called Lincolnton home include baseball players Dick Smith, Ken Wood and Devon Lowery. Lincolnton has also been home to a variety of political figures, including the first African-American U.S. Senator, Hiram Rhodes Revels, as well as William Alexander Graham (U.S. Secretary of the Navy), James Pinckney Henderson (first governor of Texas and a U.S. Senator), and the Forney family, who gave the country military leaders and U.S. Representatives and father-son U.S. reps Charles A. Jonas and Charles R. Jonas.
Top employers and industries in Lincolnton, NC
A few of the largest employers in Lincoln County include the Lincoln County Schools with more than 1,000 employees, the Lincoln County government, Charlotte Mecklenburg Hospital, Rsi Home Products, Wal-Mart, Labor Ready Mid-Atlantic Inc, The Timken Company, Julius Blum Inc, Cataler North America, G & W NC Laboratories LLC, Congruity HR LLC, Miller Pipeline, Food Lion, Carolina Roofing, Young Men’s Christian Association, Robert Bosch Tool Corp, and the City of Lincolnton.
A few more large employers in Lincoln County include the branches of Microsoft, Wells Fargo, UNC Charlotte, Bank of America, Kforce, Wachovia, Insight Global and Chick-fil-A. A few more companies with branches employing many people in the area are Accenture, Trane Technologies and Novant Health.
Local resources for Lincolnton, NC residents
Official government websites
Local legal resources
Lincoln County Courthouse
1 Court Square
Lincolnton, NC 28093
(704) 742-7800
North Carolina Industrial Commission
430 N Salisbury St.
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 716-1700
North Carolina Bar Association
8000 Weston Pkwy
Cary, NC 27513
(919) 677-0561
Local community resources
Lincolnton, NC Police Department
627 E Main St.
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 736-8900
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office
700 John Howell Memorial Dr.
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 732-9050
Lincoln County Schools
201 Jeb Seagle Dr
Lincolnton, NC 28093
(704) 732-2261
Lincoln County Public Library
306 W Main St
Lincolnton, NC 28092
(704) 735-8044