- A recent report by ProPublica has exposed how reforms to the workers’ compensation insurance systems have affected the lives and health of injured workers across the nation. The trend has been to slash benefits paid, as well as to shift the costs to taxpayers.
The federal government once closely monitored the state-run systems, but no longer. For the past decade, state legislators have been virtually free from federal oversight. Many seriously injured workers are forced to live in poverty, unable to get critical medical treatment, pay for prosthetic devices, and living with medical decisions regarding treatment made by physicians who never saw the patient in person.
There is some encouragement that the North Carolina system pays benefits higher than the national average for many workplace injuries, including those in which an employee loses a finger, toe, hand, or arm.
Job-Related Injuries: North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Arm Amputation Benefits
The loss of an arm is a devastating and life-changing injury. The amount paid to a worker for the loss of an arm varies from state to state, ranging from $859,634 in Nevada to a mere $48,840 in Alabama. North Carolina pays out far more than many states, and a worker who loses an arm in an accident will be paid $220,880, ranking 15th in the amount paid among the states.
Leg Amputation
Workers’ comp payouts for a leg amputation ranges from $457,418 paid to workers in Nevada to the lowest, once again in Alabama, at a shocking $44,000. North Carolina currently pays out $184,000 for this injury.
Hand Amputation
The loss of a hand is seriously disabling. Nevada pays out the highest of the states, at $738,967. If you lost a hand in Alabama, all you could expect is a mere $37,400. North Carolina currently pays $184,000 for this injury, ranking 14th among the states.
Benefits for Lost Wages
The maximum benefits paid to an injured worker in North Carolina currently stand at 66 2/3% of the average weekly wage, at a maximum of $884.00. Workers with a permanent disability after a workplace injury must be fairly compensated. Any employee who has suffered a serious injury should immediately seek out a North Carolina workers’ compensation lawyer.
North Carolina Attorney
The system in the state is challenging to navigate, and the outcome of a claim can vary based upon how the case is presented. Connect with the Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor for experienced workers’ comp lawyers.
Sources:
- ProPublica: The Demolition of Workers’ Compensation
- ProPublica: Workers Compensation Benefits by Limb
- North Carolina Industrial Commission: General Questions
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