North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Settlement Chart [2024 Updated]

If you are injured on the job or diagnosed with an illness brought on by your employment, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. North Carolina ensures that every company with at least three employees must carry workers’ compensation insurance to protect both workers and employers. Knowing exactly how much you may receive in workers’ comp can be difficult, which is where a North Carolina workers’ compensation settlement chart comes into play.

What Is a Workers’ Compensation Settlement Chart?

When you suffer a workplace injury and are poised to start receiving workers’ compensation benefits, it can be difficult to immediately understand exactly how much you may be receiving in benefits.

North Carolina workers’ compensation amounts can vary, but a workers’ compensation settlement chart can help clarify your questions. It provides a fairly accurate estimate of how much compensation an injured worker should receive for their injury based on a number of significant factors, such as the specific type of injury and your average weekly wage.

What Factors Are Considered in a Workers’ Compensation Settlement Chart?

Since every state considers different factors in its own workers’ comp settlement charts, the factors that comprise the chart can vary from state to state. In North Carolina, those factors are the following:

• The Affected Body Part: There’s a certain monetary value attached to every injured body part, from the back to the spinal cord. That value is assessed based on a rating provided to the North Carolina Industrial Commission. The more “valuable” or “useful” the body part is, the higher in value it may be.
• Value of the Injury: Once the body part in question has been assessed, a monetary value will be placed on the part that was injured in the accident. The value will be in terms of the victim’s weekly wages. Workers’ comp benefits will be approximately two-thirds of your weekly wage, which includes any bonuses or overtime you may receive during the time you are also receiving workers’ comp or disability benefits.
• Your Total Estimated Recovery Time: The third factor considered in a workers’ comp settlement chart is the approximate time, in weeks, that you will be in recovery and unable to work. During that time, you will be receiving workers’ comp benefits.
• Your Wages: The last factor considered is the estimated average of your weekly wages at the time of the accident.

By multiplying the second, third, and fourth factors, you can determine a settlement value for the injury you have incurred. This is one way that workers’ comp is determined in North Carolina. The value is largely dependent on what part of your body was injured and the totality of your weekly wages.

Can I Sue My Employer for a Workplace Accident and Receive Workers’ Compensation?

In most cases, you cannot sue your employer for a workplace accident and receive workers’ compensation. Workers’ comp in North Carolina is a no-fault system, which means that you don’t have to prove fault to receive benefits. Even if you contributed to your own injuries, you should still be eligible. However, this also means that you usually cannot file a personal injury claim against your employer.

FAQs

Q: How Is a Workers’ Comp Settlement Calculated in North Carolina?

A: A workers’ comp settlement in North Carolina is often calculated by using a workers’ compensation settlement chart. Every state in the country calculates workers’ comp a bit differently, with different factors considered.

In North Carolina, workers’ comp can be calculated by identifying the monetary value attached to the body part injured in your workplace accident, then multiplying it by your weekly wages and the percentage of disability benefits you might be receiving. This is just one way to calculate workers’ compensation benefits.

Q: Which Body Part Has the Highest Value in a Workers’ Compensation Claim?

A: Typically speaking, more functional body parts have a higher value in a workers’ compensation claim. For example, an amputated arm might have more value than a lost finger. Workers’ compensation depends largely on the severity of the injury at hand and which body part was injured, as well as how. That being said, according to information gathered by the National Safety Council, the body part that is usually the most costly is the head, as well as the central nervous system.

Q: How Much Does Workers’ Comp Pay in North Carolina?

A: Generally speaking, workers’ comp in North Carolina is two-thirds, or 66%, of your regular weekly wages, according to the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act. While you would ideally receive the total of your average wages, this agreed-upon percentage could help keep you afloat during your recovery period.

An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help you make better sense of the percentage, as well as help provide you with a timeline of when you should start receiving payments.

Q: How Is Permanent Partial Disability Calculated in North Carolina?

A: Permanent partial disability, or PPD, benefits are calculated in North Carolina by multiplying an impairment rating percentage by the compensation rate of the injured worker and the number of weeks it is estimated that the body part in question will be in recovery. PPD benefits are paid out when an injured worker has come to the end of their recovery period but continues to have an impaired body part. These are called “scheduled injuries.”

Reach Out to an Experienced Workers’ Comp Attorney Today

Workplace accidents can result in severe, life-altering injuries that may cause you to re-evaluate your career. Workers’ comp exists to help you adjust to a possible new normal and not worry about your finances during your recovery period.

At Bridgman Gantt Law Offices, we understand what you are going through. Workplace accidents can be devastating and stressful, and filing for workers’ comp can be confusing and a source of more stress. We can help you choose your next steps and provide you with the right kind of guidance during this overwhelming time. Reach out to us to speak to one of our valued team members. While you focus on your recovery, we can ensure you obtain the benefits you’re entitled to.