The United States Supreme Court has held that merchants who seek to bring antitrust claims against American Express can’t join together in a class action, even though they all have similar claims, and even though the merchants say it would be cost-prohibitive for them to bring individual claims against the company. The reason: the businesses […]
No coverage for excess medical bills, Court of Appeals decides
The North Carolina Court of Appeals has held in James v. Integon National Insurance Company that a driver of a motor vehicle did not have access to the underinsured motorists (UIM) coverage of his fiance, because the driver lived with his fiance and she had not listed him on her policy. The driver was involved […]
Impartiality of workers’ compensation judges threatened by NC Senate bill
Another bill currently under consideration by the N.C. Senate has put the rights of injured workers at risk. Senate Bill 112 strips Industrial Commission deputy commissioners of the protections of the State Personnel Act, meaning they could now be subject to termination as a result of political contributions to those in a position to influence […]
Workers’ comp alert: Senate Bill 174 passes the North Carolina House of Representatives
On Thursday, June 27, the NC House voted to pass legislation that affects your rights under workers’ compensation laws. The bill changes the ways the Industrial Commission can order treatment when the insurance company has denied it. In an emergency the Industrial Commission will have to order the treatment within five days of a motion. […]
N.C. Court of Appeals orders company to pay injured worker
A decision recently handed down by the North Carolina Court of Appeals found an employer responsible for paying benefits to an employee who suffered from a serious health condition, in combination with a work-related injury, after she had returned to work doing a modified job. In workers’ compensation cases, a company may offer an injured employee […]
The rights of injured workers are at risk: CJG calls on you to act now
New legislation has been proposed that would dramatically change North Carolina’s Workers’ Compensation Laws, stripping workers of the legal protection they require when injured on the job. The new bill seriously limits the workers’ access to medical care and changes the protections workers have when they are looking for work. Injured workers would have to […]
North Carolina’s Racial Justice Act is dead
Governor Pat McCrory signed a bill Wednesday that repealed North Carolina’s Racial Justice Act, landmark legislation that allowed death row inmates to appeal their death sentences based on evidence of racial bias during their trials. The Racial Justice Act (RJA) was created in response to studies that showed North Carolina juries are two-and-a-half times more […]
NC unemployment cuts called most drastic in the country
More than 70,000 unemployed workers will see their unemployment benefits cease at the end of this month, thanks to an overhaul of the state’s unemployment system that goes into effect on June 30. For any North Carolina workers receiving federal extended unemployment benefits (known as the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program or EUC), or anyone who […]
Valerie Johnson named chair of NCAJ Workers’ Compensation Section
CJG Partner Valerie Johnson was elected chairperson of the Workers Compensation Section of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice (NCAJ) at the association’s annual conference in Wilmington, June 15-18. The NCAJ is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded to protect people’s rights through professional and community legal education. The group advocates for the rights of the […]
Equal Pay Act turns 50, but women’s wages still lag
On the fiftieth anniversary of the Equal Pay Act, we are still a long way from seeing workplace equality for women and minorities. When the Equal Pay Act was signed into law, American women on average earned 59 cents for every dollar that American men earned. In the five decades since the bill was passed, […]