Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers | August 29, 2025 | Workers' Compensation
When you suffer a workplace injury, the road to recovery is often stressful, painful, and uncertain. One of the biggest questions injured workers in North Carolina face is whether having surgery will increase their workers’ compensation settlement.
The answer depends on many factors, including the severity of your injury, the type of treatment recommended, and how surgery impacts your ability to work in the future. This article explains how surgery can affect your workers’ compensation settlement, what to expect during the process, and why having legal guidance matters.
Understanding Workers’ Compensation Settlements
In North Carolina, workers’ compensation is designed to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and certain disability benefits for employees injured on the job. Unlike a typical personal injury lawsuit, workers’ compensation does not usually provide money for pain and suffering.
Instead, settlements are based on:
- The cost of medical treatment.
- The length of recovery.
- Any permanent disability or loss of function.
- The impact on your ability to work.
Because of this structure, surgery often plays a significant role in how a case is valued.
Why Surgery Matters in a Workers’ Compensation Case
Surgery can increase the overall value of your settlement because it usually means your injury is more serious. Surgical procedures are costly, involve longer recovery times, and may leave lasting effects on your health and work ability.
For example, a back strain that heals with physical therapy may lead to a smaller settlement compared to a back injury that requires spinal surgery. The surgery itself, follow-up care, possible complications, and long-term work restrictions all factor into a higher claim value.
Medical Expenses and Settlement Amounts
One of the main ways surgery increases settlement value is through medical expenses. Workers’ compensation must pay for reasonable and necessary medical treatment related to your injury.
Surgery often includes:
- Hospital bills.
- Anesthesia and surgeon fees.
- Prescription medications.
- Physical therapy or rehabilitation.
- Follow-up visits and imaging tests.
These costs can quickly add up, and the insurance company considers them when calculating a settlement. The higher the medical bills, the larger the potential settlement.
Temporary and Permanent Disability Benefits
Another reason surgery impacts settlement value is disability benefits. In North Carolina, you may qualify for temporary total disability (TTD) payments if you cannot work while recovering from surgery. If you return to work at a lower-paying job, you may receive temporary partial disability (TPD).
In more serious cases, surgery may leave you with permanent restrictions. Doctors assign an impairment rating to reflect your permanent loss of function. This rating plays a major role in determining your permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits. Generally, the more severe the impairment, the higher the settlement.
Taking the Right Next Step After Surgery
If your workplace injury may require surgery, it is important to understand how it could affect your workers’ compensation case. Surgery usually increases settlement value, but only if your medical care, disability rating, and future needs are properly documented and negotiated.
Without proper legal support, you risk accepting less than you are entitled to. Working with a knowledgeable North Carolina workers’ compensation attorney can make the difference between a low settlement and one that truly supports your recovery and future.
Contact the Raleigh Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers for Help Today
Surgery often changes the course of a workers’ compensation case. It usually means higher medical costs, longer time off work, and greater long-term impacts—all of which increase settlement value. But without careful handling, you could still walk away with less than you need.
By waiting until your treatment is complete, considering future medical needs, and working with an experienced Raleigh workers’ compensation attorney, you give yourself the best chance at securing a fair settlement that supports your recovery and protects your financial future.
For more information, please contact Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in North Carolina today. We have twelve convenient locations in North Carolina, including Greenville, Raleigh, Goldsboro, Jacksonville, Kinston, Charlotte, Greensboro, Durham, Fayetteville, Wilmington, Winston-Salem & Garner.
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Raleigh Office
4600 Marriott Dr STE 500, Raleigh, NC 27612
(919) 876-3020
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Durham Office
100 E Parrish St STE 200, Durham, NC 27701
(919) 728-1770
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Goldsboro Office
601 N Spence Ave, Goldsboro, NC 27534
(919) 778-9700
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Charlotte Office
1914 J N Pease Pl Suite 142, Charlotte, NC 28262
(704) 486-5824
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Greenville Office
300 E Arlington Blvd Suite 2A #110, Greenville, NC 27858
(252) 397-8620
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Fayetteville Office
2517 Raeford Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28305
(910) 387-9186
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Greensboro Office
7B Corporate Center Ct Suite 15, Greensboro, NC 27408
(336) 516-9066
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Jacksonville Office
3391 Henderson Dr, Jacksonville, NC 28546
(910) 455-5599
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Garner Office
500 Benson Rd Suite 111, Garner, NC 27529
(800) 525-7111
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Kinston Office
807 N Queen St, Kinston, NC 28501
(252) 397-8624
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Wilmington Office
1608 Queen St Suite 12, Wilmington, NC 28401
(910) 889-4064
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Winston-Salem Office
102 W 3rd St, Ste 1007, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
(336) 516-