What if workers' comp isn't enough?

North Carolina requires employers in this state to pay workers' compensation benefits to employees who get hurt or sick because of their jobs.

These benefits pay for the employee's medical bills, and they also pay 2/3rds of a worker's weekly wages if the worker is temporarily not able to work due to the illness or injury. Other benefits, including survivor's benefits after a fatal accident or permanent disability, may also be available.

The good news is that these benefits are awarded without employees having to prove someone else is responsible for their injuries.

Although it is unfortunately not always the case, in theory, work benefits are supposed to be paid efficiently so injured workers in Cary and their families can have the money they need in their pockets.

Even when one's work comp case goes smoothly, though, a family may find that the benefits are simply not enough to cover even their out-of-pocket expenses.

Furthermore, workers' compensation benefits do not pay for people's non-economic losses like pain and suffering and emotional distress.

A victim of a workplace accident may have other legal options

The trade-off in the workers' compensation program is that by paying benefits, employers in North Carolina receive protection from most personal injury lawsuits at the hands of their employees. This is true even if the employer was legally responsible for the employee's injuries.

The victim of a workplace accident, or the family, may still have other legal options to get full compensation for their losses.

For example, many work-related accidents are caused by automobile collisions. If someone unaffiliated with the victim's employer was responsible, the victim may be able to recover additional compensation in a third party liability action against the negligent driver.