An Apex, NC, workers’ compensation head injury settlement resolves a compensation claim for a workplace injury. Amounts vary depending on the severity of the injury and the impact on the person’s ability to work. You may have a lawyer represent you to pursue a workers’ comp head injury settlement.
Workers’ Comp Head Injury Settlements
- A head injury can be the basis of a workers’ compensation claim.
- There are different types of benefits that you may receive through workers’ compensation, including medical care, lost income replacement, and disability.
- Some head injury claims are resolved by settlement.
- A settlement may be the best way to resolve a head injury claim. It is often, but not always, the right way to resolve a trauma claim.
- Each settlement is unique. What’s included in a settlement may vary, so it’s important to understand what you are signing.
- You don’t have to accept a settlement. You can pursue the benefits you deserve through hearings and appeals.
- A lawyer for workers’ comp head injury settlements can represent you.
- North Carolina workers’ compensation laws apply in Apex, NC.
Lawyer for Workers’ Comp Head Injury Settlement
Horton & Mendez Injury Attorneys is a law firm dedicated to handling workers’ comp head injury victims. Our team can assist you in pursuing your case, including obtaining a settlement or going to trial.
Whether you are just starting your case or negotiating your case resolution, our lawyers can represent you. Contact us for a consultation and get legal help now.
Common Workplace Accidents That Cause Head Injuries in Apex
- Car accidents, motor vehicle accidents
- Falls, including from the same level and elevated heights
- Falling objects
- Stuck between accidents, getting caught in machinery
- Getting hit by an object
- Electrocution, electrical accidents
- Fires and explosions
- Workplace violence
Types of Head Injuries That Qualify for Workers’ Compensation
Concussion
A concussion is a disruption of brain function caused by violent shaking. There may or may not be visible external trauma to the head. A concussion may be mild, moderate, or severe. It can cause loss of consciousness and long-term complications.
Bruise or contusion
A brain bruise or contusion can damage grey matter. An object may pierce the brain, or the brain can suffer a bruise by striking the skull. Destroyed grey matter cannot fully heal, but a person may improve function with therapies and coping strategies.
Skull fracture
A skull fracture is the break of a bone surrounding the brain. There may be complications like brain bleeding, pressure on the brain, and infection.
How Workers’ Compensation Settlements for Head Injuries Are Calculated
A workers’ compensation settlement calculation includes the following:
- Medical care is needed and whether medical care is included in the settlement; in the case of a head injury, healthcare may be needed for years or a lifetime.
- Lost wages due to the inability to work because of the disability.
- The extent of disability and whether there are additional injuries compensated.
- Whether the person qualifies for permanent or total disability.
A workers’ compensation claim generally includes three types of benefits—paid healthcare, lost income replacement, and disability. Income replacement applies if the person is unable to work, completely or partially. Disability pay compensates the person for disability resulting from injury.
How is head injury disability compensated in Apex, NC workers’ compensation?
In North Carolina workers’ compensation law, which applies in Apex, permanent disability is compensated according to a schedule of injuries (N.C.G.S. § 97-31). A person may claim compensation for head and facial disfigurement. The claim may also fall under the “other” category of disability compensation, which allows for an award of “proper and equitable” compensation up to $20,000. This award is in addition to medical care. The right to ongoing medical care may be left open or may be included in a final settlement.
Permanent, total disability for head injury
Usually, total incapacity benefits are limited to 500 weeks in North Carolina. However, if a person has total disability, their compensation may continue for a lifetime or until they can return to suitable employment. To qualify, a person must show:
- Sensory or motor disturbances
- Communication issues
- Complex integrated disturbances of cerebral function
- Neurological disorders
If qualified, benefits may last for a lifetime. A person may not concurrently collect lifetime benefits with partial incapacity or from the schedule of injuries.
What To Do If Your Head Injury Claim Is Denied
If your head injury claim is denied, review the reasons for the denial. You may appeal, but you must act fast. Contact a lawyer as soon as possible.
Long-Term Effects of Head Injuries on Work and Daily Life
The brain is the control unit for the entire body, controlling voluntary and involuntary brain function. In the long term, a head injury may impact work and daily life in many ways.
Body function
A person may experience poor motor skills and muscle weakness, loss of bladder and bowel control, and heart rate and breathing abnormalities.
Communication
Damage to the brain can impair speech and interaction with others. Plus, a brain injury may impair hearing, which can make communication more difficult.
Emotional health
A brain injury can create difficulty regulating mood. A person may feel hopeless or depressed. Emotional harm from a brain injury may have both physical and psychological factors.
How an Apex Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Can Maximize Your Settlement
The value of a head injury workers’ compensation case can vary significantly. How you handle the case and pursue the settlement can impact its value.
An Apex workers’ compensation lawyer can maximize your settlement by:
- Proving your right to benefits
- Showing the extent of the injury
- Determining the best way to approach a settlement
- Taking your case to a hearing, if necessary
- Making sure you understand the agreement
- Pursuing permanent total disability, if qualified
- Negotiating your settlement
Contact an Experienced Apex Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
If you or a family member has suffered a head injury at work, we invite you to contact an Apex workers’ compensation lawyer. Horton & Mendez Injury Attorneys represent clients in workers’ compensation settlements. We handle cases in Apex, NC, and surrounding areas.
