On Friday, in Baxter v. Danny Nicholson, Inc., the North Carolina Supreme Court upheld an Industrial Commission decision that defendants had attacked on the grounds that one of the Commissioners was not authorized to exercise his powers on the day of the decision. The case arose out of the transition when one of the Commissioners was […]
Workers' Compensation
NC Court of Appeals’ latest decisions on workers’ compensation and medical malpractice
Earlier this month, the North Carolina Court of Appeals issued several notable decisions. In Soder v. Corvel Corp., the Court effectively reminded workers’ compensation litigants to timely file their appeals to the Industrial Commission. In this case, after noticing his appeal of the Deputy Commissioner’s decision to the Full Commission, the plaintiff missed his deadline for […]
Brief filed for police officer in workers’ compensation appeal
In Taylor v. Town of Garner, a workers’ compensation case, we have filed a brief with the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Officer Taylor is a veteran of the Garner police force who was injured while providing official inter-agency assistance at an N.C. State football game. The primary issue is whether the Town of Garner is solely liable […]
NC Court of Appeals’ latest decisions on workers’ compensation and personal injuries
Last week, the North Carolina Court of Appeals published four opinions in workers’ compensation and personal injury cases. In Berardi v. Craven County Schools, the Court considered and described the Industrial Commission’s new process for expedited medical motions, which speed up resolution of medical treatment disputes in workers’ compensation cases. At issue was whether the employer […]
Recent NC COA workers’ compensation decisions
The North Carolina Court of Appeals recently issued several workers’ compensation opinions, though they were all unpublished and did not break any new ground. In Pope v. Johns Manville, the Court upheld the Industrial Commission’s decision that the plaintiff had developed asbestosis from asbestos exposure during the 50’s and 60’s, that the testimony of plaintiff’s rebuttal […]
Recent Fourth Circuit labor and employment decisions
The Fourth Circuit has published opinions in three labor and employment cases in recent weeks. The first case, Sepulveda v. Allen Family Foods, Inc., concerned a Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) collective action that was brought on behalf of a class of current and former employees of a chicken processing plant. The employees claimed, among other things, […]
NPR reports on workers’ compensation for military contractors
The NPR program Fresh Air broadcast a story on January 11 titled “Wounded in Wars, Civilian Face Care Battle At Home.” It is based on the reporting on T. Christian Miller and his series of articles, “Disposable Army.” The story discusses what happens to military contractors who are injured while working abroad, and the incredible difficulties they […]
Latest Court of Appeals opinion on workers’ compensation
Just a few days before Christmas, the Court of Appeals published another set of decisions. Barrett v. All Payment Services is workers’ comp case that deals with an injured stuntman. The plaintiff worked as a professional stuntman, and in 1993 he injured his back while performing a car jump stunt on the set of a television series […]
New workers’ compensation decisions from Court of Appeals
On December 8, the North Carolina Court of Appeals published a couple of workers’ compensation decisions. In the first, Heflin v. G.R. Hammonds Roofing, the Court faced an unusual situation involving Florida’s workers’ comp laws and a plaintiff’s efforts to delay her own case. Plaintiff’s husband was killed while working in Florida in 2004. Because […]
Valerie speaking at 2009 workers’ compensation CLE on benefits for state employees
Valerie Johnson is speaking at tomorrow’s NCAJ 2009 Workplace Torts and Workers’ Compensation CLE, to be held in Chapel Hill. Valerie’s presentation topic and paper are entitled State Employee Benefits and Workers’ Comp: 2009 Update. One of the significant changes to be discussed is that Corvel Corporation is now the administrator of workers’ comp benefits on behalf […]