Workers' Compensation

Our team represented a laborer in a denied workers compensation claim. He claimed that he had sustained an injury to his leg while on the job. The insurance carrier denied that the injury resulted from a work injury. The carrier claimed that there was no workplace injury, and that his injury, which resulted in amputation, was the result of diabetes. The employee did have pre-existing issues with his feet from his diabetes. The parties engaged in a voluntary pre-trial mediation, and the offer of settlement was $5,000. The defense said they would never pay close to six figures.

The mediation impassed and we tried the case. Following the trial, the defense asked to remediate the claim. We ultimately settled for a combined value of $1,700,000. The settlement involved a lump sum payment, the funding of an annuity, and payment of all outstanding medical bills.

Our client suffered the loss of a hand in a tragic industrial accident. After 3 years of battling the workers’ compensation carrier, attorney Gene Riddle settled the case for $1,125,000, along with payment of all past medical bills. The injured victim received her lost wage benefits and payment of medical bills and mileage during the course of her case. The case was settled based upon a lifetime medical plan (Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers paid medical experts to develop this plan), which included prosthetics and her being totally and permanently disabled.

Our client, a 50-year-old employee of a cellular tower company was struck by a falling tree while in the woods scouting locations for cell towers. He suffered severe head injuries with cognitive deficits, semi-paralysis on the left side of the body, and fractures to his left leg. Following the accident, he hired the workers’ comp attorneys at Riddle & Riddle to assist with pursuing maximum compensation in the case.

We determined there were significant issues regarding suitable handicapped housing and transportation payment for his wife’s assisted living services and appropriate rehabilitation and therapy. An extensive life care plan prepared by Brian Preston was useful in demonstrating the necessity and cost of future medical, house and assisted living services. Gary Albrecht calculated present value of future cost and adjusted for future inflation. Special damages for permanent disability were awarded in installments of $299/week. This resulted in a total payout of $1.7 million.

Gene Riddle, a North Carolina workers’ comp lawyer at Riddle & Riddle, secured $786,000 for our valued client, who suffered an admittedly compensable disabling injury to the spinal cord while working in law enforcement. Our client received compensation for all medical treatment, a handicapped-accessible vehicle, necessary housing and equipment, and wage replacement.

After 14 years of compensation, the case settled for $786,000 which included a provision for a Medicare Set Aside fund, future medical treatment, and lifetime annuity payments to the client.

A life care plan obtained by Riddle & Riddle, LLP was essential in settling the claim. We were proud to have helped our client get the justice and compensation he deserved in this complicated case.

An agricultural services worker injured his back carrying heavy objects while on the job. Our client’s injury required back surgery and fusion, a spinal cord stimulator implant and ongoing pain management. Defendants denied our client any benefits, so we argued the case in front of the Industrial Commission and our client received a favorable decision. Worker’s compensation lawyer Gene Riddle handled the case.

Defendants did not appeal the decision and were ordered to pay back pay as well as ongoing benefits. After nine years of payments, the case settled at a mediated settlement conference for $725,000 which included a Medicare Set Aside annuity valued at $525,000.

Riddle & Riddle’s workers’ comp attorneys in NC secured a significant settlement for an emergency services worker who suffered a compensable back injury while on the job. Our client received compensation for wage replacement and medical expenses including back surgery and pain management.

After six years of payments, the case was settled for $700,000 in a partially structured settlement entitling our client to lifetime payments plus medical expenses.

Our client was injured while working when his hands were caught in a piece of logging equipment. As a result of this incident, the client lost several fingers on his right hand and his entire left hand up to his wrist. A life care plan was obtained and the case was settled at mediation which included an annuity. This case was handled by managing partner Gene Riddle and partner Chris Brantley, a Board-Certified Specialist and workers’ compensation lawyer in North Carolina.

Though nothing can make up for such a devastating loss, we were proud to have helped our client get the justice and compensation he deserved in this tragic case.

Our client contracted carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome in arms due to long-term repetitive occupational exposure with employer. He underwent multiple surgical procedures to treat the conditions. In addition, our client developed chronic regional pain syndrome requiring extensive physical therapy, pain management and trial of spinal cord stimulator implant. After two and half years of disability compensation payments and payment of all medical expenses, the plaintiff’s claim was settled post-mediation for $500,000 in negotiations led by North Carolina workers’ comp lawyer Chris Brantley, a Board-Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation law.

Riddle & Riddle’s workers’ comp attorneys in North Carolina secured a $405,000 settlement for a medical personnel worker who suffered a foot injury while on the job. The injury required multiple surgeries. Compensability was admitted and denied in part. The case was settled after four years of payments.

Negotiated by Riddle & Riddle attorneys, the settlement included a Medicare Set Aside fund to protect future medical benefits.

Our client was a delivery driver who suffered a severe back injury while moving heavy items. The plaintiff required reconstructive back surgery, extensive physical therapy, pain management, and trial spinal cord stimulator implant. Plaintiff received wage replacement and medical benefits during recovery. With representation by workers’ comp attorney Chris Brantley, a Board-Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation law, our client’s claim was settled at mediation for $375,000.

We were proud to have secured the justice and compensation our client deserved in this hard-fought case.

In North Carolina, when a worker is killed in a workplace accident, his widow and children typically are entitled to receive worker’s compensation death benefits. However, the situation can be very complicated when the worker dies while unmarried. In 2018, our North Carolina workers’ compensation attorneys requested a full evidentiary hearing before the North Carolina Industrial Commission and successfully obtained a favorable Order & Award in which we successfully proved that a young child was the proper beneficiary of a worker who had been killed on the job.

The child’s birth certificate listed no father, and she did not share his last name. There was no custody order or order for child support. However, we were able to prove, through live testimony of relatives, text messages, social media postings from holidays, and bank records, that the child had been recognized by the deceased worker as his child and that he had often bought her things or given her mother cash. This allowed the minor child and her mother to recover worker’s compensation benefits that will total over $375,000.

This case was led by Gene Riddle, managing partner, and Adam Smith, a Board-Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation law at Riddle & Riddle.

A utility worker suffered twisting foot injury requiring physical therapy, occupational therapy, prosthetic shoe inserts, injections, surgical removal of Morton’s neuroma and pain management. The injured worker suffered chronic pain and numbness in his foot and was unable to return to the full heavy weight-bearing required in his job. The plaintiff also required a period of pain management and nerve medications to treat his foot condition and a functional capacity evaluation to determine permanent restrictions. He turned to Riddle & Riddle’s North Carolina workers’ comp attorneys for help.

The workers’ compensation carrier paid for all medical bills and workers’ compensation disability benefits for the duration of the Plaintiff’s recovery. The case was resolved through negotiations between Plaintiff and Defense counsel for $325,000 plus all Industrial Commission expenses. Plaintiff was able to access pension and health insurance benefits following settlement of the claim.

The NC workers’ comp lawyers at Riddle & Riddle secured a settlement for a construction worker who suffered compensable back, elbow and knee injuries when an object fell on him at work. Defendants disputed psychiatric and pain management treatment for our client. We filed a request for a hearing regarding the medical issues.

The case settled while the hearing was pending. This case demonstrated clearly the advantages of hiring a NC workers’ comp lawyer to represent an injured worker when the insurance company denies liability. We were proud to have helped our valued client get the justice and compensation he deserved.

An over-the-road truck driver suffered a serious shoulder injury while operating equipment which caused rotator cuff tear and shoulder dysfunction. The shoulder had previous non-work-related arthroplasty/joint replacement, and an orthopedic surgeon recommended corrective reconstructive surgery following a period of conservative therapy including physical therapy, pain management, ice therapy, and activity modification. Plaintiff opted to forego surgery and underwent a functional capacity evaluation to determine permanent restrictions. The defendant carrier paid all medical expenses and temporary total disability benefits during the period of Plaintiff’s recovery. Parties mediated the claim to an impasse but subsequently reached a settlement that was structured to include upfront lump-sum payment and monthly compensation benefits guaranteed for 14 years with a total payout of $250,000 and all Industrial Commission costs. The defendants also fully funded a Medicare Set Aside to pay for anticipated future medical care as mandated by Medicare’s Claims Management Services.

Our client suffered a low back and shoulder injury after slipping off of a roll off truck bed and falling onto the ground. Defendants accepted our client’s claim as compensable after Riddle & Riddle’s workers’ compensation lawyers took the case, investigated the accident, and presented evidence.

The injured worker underwent back surgery and after reaching maximum medical improvement the case settled for $250,000 which included a Medicare Set Aside for future medical expenses related to this injury. In this challenging case, our attorneys were proud to have helped our valued client get the justice and compensation he deserved after falling on the job.

In May of 2016, our attorneys successfully concluded a settlement of $250,000 in a worker’s compensation claim involving a truck driver who was injured on the job. We represented this claimant since 2012 and battled the insurance companies at every turn. Workers’ compensation lawyer and Board-Certified Specialist Adam Smith was hired by his client while working at another law firm and the client chose to have Smith continue his representation when he joined Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers.

Attorney Smith conducted numerous depositions, hearings on the record, telephonic hearings, and pursued and defended written motions. Of note, attorney Smith successfully achieved a substantial increase in the amount of weekly indemnity payments his client was receiving while he was out of work by demonstrating that similar employees were earning higher wages than his client, who was a new hire on his jobsite. Our attorney also successfully defended three Form 24 Motions to Terminate Benefits. We pursued a Motion to Compel Vocational Assistance so our client could attempt to enroll in a community college while out of work. When the insurance company decided to deny a part of our client’s claim because he had a preexisting injury many years before this accident, Smith took the matter to hearing, deposed our client’s doctors, and won a favorable ruling before a Deputy Commissioner.

After that ruling, the insurance company finally agreed to settle with us. Of note, the insurance company made many overtures to us throughout our representation of this client, at one point offering $150,000. Other lawyers may have jumped at that settlement, or refused to do the hard and expensive work that goes into a hearing. However, attorney Smith pressed forward, continued to fight, and eventually compelled the insurance company to pay something that put our client back on his feet again financially.

This was a long-fought legal battle and we were pleased to have persevered and won on behalf of our valued client. We believe Justice Counts and this case shows why.

Plaintiff driver suffered severe injuries in a one vehicle trucking accident. Plaintiff suffered multiple fractures requiring reconstructive surgery and an extensive recovery. Plaintiff received wage replacement benefits and payment of all related medical expenses during convalescence. Plaintiff’s claim was settled by North Carolina workers’ comp attorney Chris Brantley for $240,000 at mediation.

Plaintiff manufacturing worker suffered an elbow and shoulder injury after a fall at work. Plaintiff underwent multiple surgical procedures as well as extensive physical therapy and pain management. Plaintiff received wage replacement benefits and payment of all medical expenses. Plaintiff’s claim was settled at mediation by attorney Chris Brantley for $240,000.

Plaintiff sales worker suffered knee injury in a fall on the job. Plaintiff underwent multiple surgical procedures including total knee replacement. Plaintiff received wage replacement benefits and payment of all medical expenses. Plaintiff’s claim was settled by workers’ compensation attorney Chris Brantley for $240,000 in post-mediation negotiations with defense counsel.

Our client was driving a vehicle for work when he suffered a mild head injury in an accident. He suffered chronic debilitating headaches, vertigo, and nausea. Our client underwent extensive cognitive and behavioral therapy, counseling, and pain management. Our client received wage replacement benefits during an extended recovery and payment of all related medical expenses. The plaintiff’s claim was settled for $230,000, plus a fully funded Medicare set aside account.

A mechanic suffered a knee injury with muscle damage in his leg. He was unable to return to full duties and required extensive physical therapy and conservative treatment. He was assigned permanent physical restrictions limiting bending, stooping, lifting and squatting and assigned a 20% permanent partial disability rating to the leg. The workers’ compensation carrier paid all related medical benefits and temporary total disability benefits during his entire recovery. The case settled for $225,000 plus all costs.

Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers recently settled a workers’ compensation claim for an injured worker in his 30s who suffered a broken ankle and foot in a warehouse incident, where he was hit by a vehicle. His doctors performed multiple surgeries and returned him to work after a year with some permanent restrictions to medium and light duty. Workers’ compensation paid his wage benefits throughout his time out of work and paid all of his medical bills. His doctor determined that he may require future medical care, but did not estimate the annual costs. We settled his claim based on his future lost wages and possible future medical bills for $220,000.

Our client, a truck driver, suffered an injury to his neck, back, and shoulder while working. The plaintiff’s claim for his shoulder was accepted as medical only and the cervical and lumbar spine claims were denied by defendants as pre-existing, unrelated conditions. Our client subsequently underwent emergency cervical surgery due to severe leg and arm weakness. Our client was further diagnosed with lumbar stenosis and treated with injections, therapy, and pain management. Riddle and Brantley filed a request for a hearing with the North Carolina Industrial Commission, contesting the denial of the plaintiff’s cervical and lumbar conditions. The parties were subsequently able to settle the claim at mediation for the sum of $200,000 plus payment of all medical expenses, industrial commission costs, and mediation fees.

Our client was a delivery driver who suffered an ankle injury on the job. He underwent multiple surgical procedures, physical therapy, and bracing, as well as pain management. Due to the plaintiff’s altered gait, he aggravated bulging and herniated discs in the lumbar spine, which were nonsurgical. Our client had an extensive recovery, during which time he received wage replacement benefits and payment of all medical expenses. Chris Brantley represented him in the matter, and the claim was settled at mediation for $200,000.

Our client, the plaintiff, was a healthcare worker who slipped and fell at work, injuring their neck and back. Our client required neck surgery, extensive physical therapy, and pain management. They received wage replacement benefits and payment of all medical expenses. Represented by Riddle & Riddle’s North Carolina workers’ comp attorneys, the claim was settled following mediation for $200,000 and a negotiated benefits package for our deserving client.

Our client, a utility worker, suffered back, hip, and leg injuries while working on a ladder. His injuries required ongoing pain management but surgery was not necessary. The defendants required our client to undergo vocational rehabilitation, but Riddle & Riddle’s attorneys brought the case to a hearing and a Deputy Commissioner found that our client was totally and permanently disabled. The defendants were ordered to cease vocational rehabilitation and were ordered to provide medical and psychological treatment, ongoing wage replacement benefits, and attorney fees for unreasonable defense. They unsuccessfully appealed the decision to the Full Industrial Commission. The claim was subsequently settled through negotiations led by Riddle & Riddle’s NC workers’ comp attorneys after our client received nine years of benefits for $190,000.

Our client was a 72-year-old working in administration in a residential care facility. She suffered severe injuries in a fall at work, resulting in a shattered upper arm that required total shoulder replacement surgery. After several months of rehabilitation, she returned to work in the facility. Unfortunately she suffered a 2nd fall, resulting in a re-break of the arm and disruption of the hardware, requiring another surgery. Our client was unable to return to work following the 2nd surgery due to pain and limitation of function in the shoulder and arm. The Defendants denied the compensability of both claims, alleging that the Plaintiff’s falls did not constitute compensable accidents. Chris Brantley took the cases to a live evidentiary court hearing and after submission of briefs and medical deposition testimony, the Deputy Commissioner ruled in favor of our client. The Defendants appealed multiple times but the rulings were upheld. The case settled for $170,000 and all costs as well as waiver of the health insurance lien. The highest settlement offer prior to trial was $1,500.

Worker died from the injuries he sustained when he was crushed by a tree that fell on him at a logging site in the mountains of North Carolina. The family of the deceased worker hired Riddle & Riddle to pursue the workers’ compensation death benefits for the family. Gene Riddle and Chris Brantley met with members of the Mine and Safety Organization to review safety violations by the employer. As a result of these safety violations, we received a 10% penalty on top of the weekly death benefits provided under the Workers’ Compensation Act. Rather than collect these weekly benefits over time, we negotiated a lump sum settlement for $159,000 which represented the total amount of benefits with no reduction for present value.

Our client was driving on the job when he suffered severe injuries in a one-vehicle accident. The plaintiff underwent two shoulder surgeries and injections for left-sided hip and leg pain, as well as pain management. Our client received wage replacement benefits and payment of all related medical expenses during recovery. Ultimately, the claim was settled for $150,000 at mediation.

We represented an individual who injured his back working as a pipefitter. Our research discovered an employer-sponsored program that allowed employees to retire early if they had been vested within the company. The defense disputed whether he was vested because his employer merged with another company during his course of employment. We were able to reach a settlement of our client’s worker’s compensation claim for $150,000, then transition him to the employer’s disability program, which provided him with monthly payments and health insurance until he becomes eligible for Social Security retirement.

Our client, a food service worker, suffered a hand injury due to repetitive use of a knife and other hand tools on the job. Defendants denied our client’s claim. Riddle & Riddle brought the case to a hearing in front of a Deputy Commissioner and we received a favorable decision. Defendants appealed to the Full Industrial Commission and then the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Riddle & Riddle successfully defended both appeals. After 10 years of payments the claim was settled for an additional $140,000 plus lifetime entitlement to medical treatment.

Our client was a laborer who suffered a compensable back injury on the job requiring surgery and pain management. He received disability wage replacement benefits and payment of all medical expenses following the injury. After a valid Functional Capacity Evaluation released the plaintiff to sedentary to light work restrictions, our client’s claim was settled post-mediation for $137,500.

Our client was employed as a retail clerk and her store was robbed at gunpoint by an unknown assailant who threatened her with bodily harm. Plaintiff suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and agoraphobia as a direct result of the incident at work. Plaintiff required an extensive period of psychiatric treatment with medication and psychological counseling therapy. The defendant carrier paid for all medical treatment and temporary total disability benefits during her recovery. Attorney Christopher Brantley negotiated with defense counsel and the claim settled for $125,000 plus all Industrial Commission costs.

A warehouse worker suffered a severe foot contusion due to a forklift accident. X-rays and MRIs did not reveal a fracture. Treatment was non-surgical, consisting of therapy, medications, and pain management referral. A functional capacity evaluation revealed medium work restrictions. At the time the plaintiff consulted with Riddle & Riddle, a pending motion to terminate his workers’ compensation benefits for failing to attempt to return to work had been filed. Riddle & Riddle promptly intervened, filing responsive pleadings, objecting to the defendant’s motion and successfully won the hearing. Following the hearing, the case was settled for $125,000 plus all industrial commission costs and medical expenses.

We represented an HVAC technician who suffered a partial amputation to the tip of his dominant thumb. There were various versions of how the injury occurred, with the employer alleging that our client failed to follow lock-out/tag-out safety procedures, and our client alleging that he was not trained properly. He received a skin graft to his thumb, and then was released to return to work with no restrictions. Attorneys Gene Riddle and Adam Smith were able to secure a settlement of $120,000 in addition to payment of all medical bills and indemnity payments covering all time missed from work.

The plaintiff, a commercial delivery driver, sustained knee and hip injuries on the job, resulting in hip bursitis, and an ACL tear in his knee. Treatment consisted of injections, medications, physical therapy, and surgery. Our injured worker received all compensation benefits during the recovery period following surgery. After an exchange of discovery, we entered negotiations for our client. The claim was resolved for $100,000, plus payment of all medical expenses, industrial commission fees, and costs.