$375,000 Workers’ Compensation & Death Benefits

Settlement: $375,000

Attorneys: Gene Riddle and Adam Smith

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 & Brantley.

If you’ve been injured on the job, or a loved one was injured or killed as a result of a workplace accident, call Riddle & Brantley today at 1-800-525-7111. We can review your claim, advise you on your legal options, and if you decide to hire us, fight tirelessly on your behalf for the justice and compensation you deserve. Please call us today.

*** Disclaimer: The results mentioned are intended to illustrate the type of cases handled by the firm. These results do not guarantee a similar outcome, and they should not be construed to constitute a promise or guarantee of a particular result in any particular case. Every case is different, and the outcome of any case depends upon a variety of factors unique to that case.