The tragic deaths of a married couple and an 11-year-old boy in a Boone motel room could have been prevented, according to a report from the News & Observer. Daryl Jenkins, 73, and Shirley Jenkins, 72, were found dead in a second-floor room of the Best Western in April. In June, 11-year-old Jeffrey Williams was […]
Personal Injury
Criminal charges sought against workers’ comp claims adjuster
The family and friends of a 47-year-old man who died from serious complications after a workers’ comp injury are seeking criminal charges against the claims management company and individual adjuster they say drove him to his death. Charles Romano was injured in 2003 while stocking shelves at Ralphs Grocery in Camarillo, California. The surgery he […]
House Bill 74 creates danger of unfair influences on workers’ compensation judges
If an injured worker feels he isn’t getting the medical treatment or benefits that he has a right to, he can request a hearing from the NC Industrial Commission. An employer can request a hearing too, if it thinks that one of its workers is getting benefits he doesn’t deserve. The judges at the Industrial Commission, […]
MedPay: optional coverage a must-have for drivers
When it comes to car insurance, there may be something your agent has neglected to tell you. Medical Payment Coverage, known as MedPay, may provide you with much-needed funds not supplied by your vehicle or health insurance. An optional type of coverage not required by the state, (unlike uninsured motorist coverage, which is mandatory for all […]
Winston-Salem bar sued for fatal crash
A Winston-Salem bar and restaurant may pay a heavy price for allegedly over serving a man who then caused a serious accident in which he was killed and another driver was severely injured. The surviving driver, former State Rep. Larry Womble, has now filed a lawsuit against David Allen Carmichael’s estate as well as 6th […]
Valerie Johnson teaches important lesson to union members
AFL-CIO workers will know what to do if they are ever hurt on the job, thanks to some helpful schooling from CJG partner Valerie Johnson. Valerie led a seminar to help union stewards and members understand the best way to protect their rights when they are injured while working. The seminar was conducted at the […]
Cyclist’s death brings calls for safer roads, increased awareness
A somber, riderless, white bicycle on Hillandale Road in Durham is aimed to force drivers to think of the safety of cyclists. Advocates who installed the “ghost bike” said that safer roads and more cautious drivers could prevent unnecessary injuries and deaths, like that of 36-year-old cyclist Seth Vidal. The ghost bike is the first […]
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. […]