You can have help from an Apex workers’ compensation lawyer for your Apex workers’ compensation neck injury settlement. Horton & Mendez, Injury & Car Accident Attorneys, represent injured workers who have experienced a neck injury at work. Our lawyers can assist with key issues like medical care, lost wages, and disability compensation. Contact us now.
Understanding Workers’ Compensation Settlements for Neck Injuries
If you’ve suffered a neck injury on the job, you should know these facts regarding your possible claim.
- You may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits.
- Workers’ compensation isn’t like a traditional lawsuit. You don’t have to prove that the employer is at fault.
- There are essential steps to take, such as reporting the injury and filing a claim to receive compensation.
- There are multiple types of benefits, and these depend on several factors.
- A negotiated workers’ compensation neck injury settlement can resolve your case.
In addition to pursuing a settlement, you may take your case to a hearing. A lawyer can represent you in negotiating and presenting your case to a Deputy Commissioner and assist if your claim has been denied.
Common Causes of Neck Injuries in Apex Workplaces
The cervical spine supports the head and skull, allowing movement. There are seven vertebrae in the cervical spine, and these vertebrae protect the spinal cord. The spinal cord facilitates communication between the brain and body. It’s a complex system that can be damaged by sudden trauma or repetitive tasks.
Causes of neck injuries in Apex, NC, workplaces may include the following:
- Motor vehicle collisions: A car accident can cause trauma to the spine.
- Falls: Falling from height, on the same level, or a trip without falling can cause neck injury.
- Blunt trauma: Being struck by an object can cause broken vertebrae, dislocation, and soft tissue damage.
- Machinery malfunction: A machine or tool can cause injury by pulling, cutting, or putting pressure on the spine.
- Poor working position: Crouching, bending, or carrying in an awkward position can result in neck injury.
- Violence: Intentional harm in the workplace can result in neck trauma.
Injury can result from flexion, extension, rotation, side-to-side movement, compression, or stretching.
Working in Apex, NC
Apex, NC, is a short drive from Raleigh, NC, with parts of the city in Wake and Chatham Counties. The area is growing quickly, with an estimated population of approximately 76,000. Workers are employed in the public and private sectors. Major employers in the area include technology, healthcare, finance, education, retail, and financial sectors.
Neck Injuries Covered Under NC Workers’ Compensation Law
N.C.G.S. § 97-2(6) notes that injury by accident arising out of and in the course of employment can qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. This includes a wide variety of neck injuries, including:
- Cervical fracture: The neck contains cervical bones that protect the spine. Trauma to the neck can cause fractures.
- Spinal cord injury: Trauma to the spinal cord can cause limited mobility, paralysis, and abnormal nerve function.
- Dislocation: Cervical vertebrae can become dislodged from their normal position, often with ligament damage.
- Herniated disc: The cervical discs that cushion the vertebrae can bulge, causing pain and nerve compression.
- Cervical radiculopathy: The nerves of the neck can become compressed, resulting from damage to vertebrae, discs, and other components.
- Soft tissue damage: Whiplash and other trauma can damage the muscles and ligaments of the neck.
Determining the full extent of your spinal cord injury is an important part of your claim. It’s important to investigate your long-term prognosis and how your injuries will impact your ability to work. A lawyer can thoroughly investigate your claim and ensure your compensation covers your future needs.
How Settlement Amounts Are Calculated for Neck Injuries
Settlement amounts for neck injuries are calculated based on benefits available in Apex, NC. There are three general categories of benefits: medical care, lost wages, and impairment compensation.
Medical care
Medical care may include what is needed to diagnose, cure, treat, relieve, or shorten the period of disability. For a neck injury, this care may include medical testing, surgery, physical therapy, medication, equipment, such as a brace, and other measures. In Apex, NC, you may receive medical care, at no cost to you, from a care provider chosen by your employer.
Lost wages
It’s common for a neck injury to result in time away from work. Workers’ compensation pays replacement income of 66 2/3% of average weekly wages before the injury. There may be a waiting period, as well as minimum and maximum amounts that may apply. Temporary Total Disability may pay compensation for up to 500 weeks.
Permanent impairment
A neck injury may leave you with permanent stiffness, immobility, or paralysis. You may receive compensation based on a disability rating. Compensation is paid based on the affected body part, at 66 2/3% of the person’s average weekly wage before injury. The injured worker may negotiate a lump sum payment.
Long-Term Effects of Work-Related Neck Injuries
A work-related neck injury can result in:
- Pain
- Limited mobility
- Paralysis
- Lower income
- Lost career development
- Nerve issues
- Anxiety, depression
- An uncertain future
The Apex, NC, workers’ compensation neck injury settlement that you receive can help you physically, financially, and emotionally.
Medical Treatment and Disability Ratings
When a neck injury occurs, it may take months or even years to receive appropriate medical care. You have options regarding your Apex workers’ compensation neck injury settlement. One option is to include your medical benefits in the settlement, allowing you to manage your own medical care going forward. Alternatively, you can choose to exclude medical care from the settlement.
If there are disputes about medical care or your ability to return to work, you can challenge specific issues. Additionally, if your disability rating is too low, you will only receive a percentage of the impairment compensation that you deserve. An attorney can help you navigate these issues.
Disputes and Denials in Neck Injury Workers’ Comp Claims
If the insurance company has denied your neck injury workers’ compensation claim, you can take your case to the North Carolina Industrial Commission for a hearing. You may also negotiate a settlement.
How an Apex Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Can Help
Horton & Mendez, Injury & Car Accident Attorneys, help injured workers receive neck injury settlements in Apex, NC. We protect your rights, file paperwork, build evidence, and present your case. Our lawyers negotiate settlements, answer questions, and create a custom case plan.
We’re taking new cases. Call or message us now.
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