Raleigh Work Injury Attorney

A work injury can mean major medical bills, thousands of dollars in lost wages, a temporary or permanent disability, and significant pain and suffering. What are your rights after suffering a work injury or losing a loved one in a workplace accident? The attorneys at Riddle & Brantley are here to tell you. Schedule a free, confidential consultation with one of our lead lawyers to find out your recovery options. You could be eligible for workers’ compensation, recovery through a third-party lawsuit, and/or from a claim against your employer.  We have NC State Bar certified specialists in Workers Compensation to help with your case.

Common Work Injuries and Workers’ Compensation Claims

In 2016, 174 workers in North Carolina died while on the job. Work-related fatalities have increased over the last three years in NC. Thousands of others suffered serious, disabling injuries due to preventable workplace hazards. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the most common types of work incidents in North Carolina are as follows:

1. Transportation accidents. Sixty-eight NC workers died in 2016 because of transportation-related incidents. These include vehicle collisions, rollover accidents, and crush injuries.
2. Violence and injuries from people or animals. Violence-related incidents were the second-leading cause of worker death in North Carolina with 35 fatalities in 2016.
3. Falls, slips, or trips. Fall accidents accounted for 15% of all worker fatalities in NC in 2016. Falls from ladders, scaffolds, and buildings were the most common fatal fall incidents.
4. Contact with objects and equipment. The final category of fatal work accidents accounted for 12% of fatalities in North Carolina. This category includes struck-by objects and equipment-related incidents.

All of these common accidents give the injured employee or a deceased worker’s family the right to file workers’ compensation claims. Those involved in these incidents could recover damages without needing to prove anyone else’s negligence, thanks to the rules of the North Carolina workers’ compensation system. Other means of recovery, however, could result in better benefits for the employee and his/her family members.

Third Party and Employer Claims 

The workers’ compensation system offers to replace two-thirds of an employee’s average weekly wage while he or she cannot return to work because of a work-related injury or illness. A personal injury claim, on the other hand, can replace 100% of lost wages. Workers’ compensation also will not provide benefits for an employee’s physical pain or emotional suffering. A personal injury claim will. Finally, a personal injury claim could also result in punitive damages to punish a grossly negligent or criminal party. As you can see, a personal injury claim can yield greater compensation awards than a workers’ comp claim alone. Not every employee, however, will have grounds for a PI claim. A third party must have caused or contributed to the work accident. If a third party such as an independent contractor, driver, property owner, or product manufacturer had something to do with the accident, the worker could seek recovery through workers’ comp and a personal injury lawsuit.

Reach Out For A Free Consultation

It is important to discuss your unique case with a injury lawyer in Raleigh. Our firm can help you decide which legal option is the most beneficial to you. Contact us to learn more during a free case review.