We recently had a client who said to me, “I travel a lot for business. If I’m hurt while on a trip, am I covered by workers’ compensation?” This is an excellent question. As a general rule, workers’ compensation is designed to protect you while you are at work and doing your job. So what happens when your job takes you out of the office or away from your work site? Will workers’ compensation cover injuries such as from car accidents on business trips?

The good news is, yes! You are covered while on a business trip. The reason is that the entire purpose of your trip is work-related. Therefore, in most circumstances, any injury that occurs is going to be while you are performing your job.

This includes automobile accidents. Even if you were at fault, you are still eligible for workers’ compensation. This is because workers’ comp is a no-fault system. Its purpose is to cover lost time and wages due to a work injury; the fault is not taken into account when determining workers’ comp. Therefore, workers’ comp does not treat an automobile accident any differently than it would treat a fall in the workplace.

Workers’ comp will even cover you when you’re traveling out of state or out of the country, provided you are traveling for business. And this does not just apply to injury — if you become ill while in a foreign country, you could qualify for benefits.

If you’ve been injured while on a business trip, don’t hesitate to call an experienced attorney at Oxner + Permar for a free consultation. We’re dedicated to making wrongs right, and ensuring that you get the benefits you deserve.

There are lots of things that could cause you to want to change lawyers. Maybe you and your attorney don’t really get along. Maybe you feel like your attorney is overpromising, and failing to bring about the results you expected. You are allowed to change lawyers; however, you shouldn’t do so without careful thought.

At Oxner + Permar, our policy states that if there is a disagreement as to how your case is being handled you should insist on a face-to-face meeting with your lawyer to try to clear the air.

Your relationship with your attorney is just like any other kind of relationship: communication is necessary in order for it to be successful. Expressing your dissatisfaction in a civil, direct way will give your attorney a chance to perform better. For example, some attorneys are incredible in the courtroom but can lack people skills when it comes to dealing with clients. Constructive feedback can be a helpful reminder.

If your attorney simply won’t work with you, then you may need to seriously consider switching attorneys. You only have one shot at your workers’ compensation case: no mulligans, no do-overs. If you truly believe it’s worth it, then you should definitely change lawyers.

If you do decide to change lawyers there are a few things to keep in mind:

1. You will only pay one attorney’s fee. Your attorney’s fee will be split between the two attorneys you worked with. Both deserve compensation for working on your case whether or not you feel they deserve it.
2. The attorney you’re leaving must give you your file. If your attorney wants to, he or she is allowed to keep a copy of your file; however, you cannot be charged for this copy.
3. Your former attorney must file a Motion to Withdraw with the Industrial Commission. Technically, the Industrial Commission must approve this motion and no new attorney will be able to get anything done until the motion is approved.

Ultimately it’s your case, so you must do what you believe is in your best interest. Don’t risk your benefits and your future. Hire an attorney with experience, someone you can trust.

If you enjoy a turkey during the holiday season, chances are hundreds of people worked long, hard hours to get it to your table. It can be easy to forget about the hard work and labor that goes into preparing our food before we even purchase it. And with the amount of food that gets consumed over the holidays, there’s a spike in the amount of work that goes into preparing that food. If you are one of the people working for a big business, never forget that your health should not have a price tag.

Take, for instance, turkeys. The employees of Butterball, one of the biggest producers of turkeys, find themselves working 50 days straight leading up to Thanksgiving in order to meet demand. During this time, their work flow moves from 47 turkeys a minute to 51. Work at this speed, with no rest, certainly calls safety into question.

The sad truth is that many major companies take opportunities of higher demand to cut corners in order to increase profits. Unfortunately, when the management makes these kinds of decisions, it’s their subordinates who are put at risk.

Many large companies such as Butterball will employ their own nurses. Employees are encouraged to visit these nurses rather than going to the hospital. Often times this is because the nurses will provide temporary solutions to the employees’ problems rather than diagnosing anything major. This means that the company will save money when it comes to workers’ comp.

However, when this happens, it is you, the employee, who loses out. It’s against the law for a company to prevent you from seeking medical treatment or filing a workers’ compensation claim. If your company has been discouraging you from seeking help in regard to a work-related injury, you should contact an attorney. Your health shouldn’t have a price tag.

When it comes to your health, big businesses are not always on your side. Make sure you have someone who knows the law and will work with you to defend your rights.

No one wants to get hurt on the job. However, accidents do happen. So what if you get hurt at work? Most of us have no idea what we would do in such a situation and feel overwhelmed by the sheer thought of it.

If you get injured at work, it’s important to know exactly what steps you need to take to ensure that you will get the most out of your workers’ comp benefits. In an emergency situation, make sure you dial 911 and seek immediate medical treatment. Your health is the priority; don’t jeopardize your health by waiting to seek treatment. Aside from these, here are some other steps you should take if you get hurt at work:

1. Report your injury to your supervisor.
   Regardless of how you injured yourself, it is critical to report your injury to your supervisor. The good thing about workers’ comp in North Carolina is that you are covered regardless of whether or not you were at fault. So don’t be afraid to be honest about your injury.

2. Be detailed in your report.
   It’s important to be as thorough as possible in your report. Make sure to list every body part that has been injured, and describe in the detail how the injury occurred. The more specific you can be the better.  Be sure to get a copy of your report.

3. Have witnesses record what they saw happen.
   If anyone saw your injury occur, ensure that they write down their own account of the accident. Having eyewitnesses will help with the validity of your case.

4. Get pictures of the scene and your injuries.
   It may not be possible to get pictures of the scene, but you should if you can. And definitely get pictures of your injuries. It’s good to have a record of them when they were fresh, especially because they’ll heal over the course of your case.

5. Get to a doctor immediately.
   Regardless of the severity of your injury, you must visit a doctor to document the extent of your injury. Explain to the doctor how you were injured and tell them every body part that was injured. From here, the next step is to contact an experienced attorney. An attorney can help you evaluate your claim and direct you on how to proceed.

With more than $275 million in awards and settlements, the attorneys at Oxner + Permar have the experience to help guide you through a workers’ comp case and ensure you’re getting the benefits you deserve.

Dealing with workers’ compensation should be a fairly straightforward process. However, things don’t always go according to plan. Is it worth trying to sort your case out yourself, or do you need some legal help? How do you know if you need a lawyer?

Our first piece of advice is to contact an attorney and see what they think. Having an initial evaluation will help us assess whether or not your case needs legal intervention, or if there are steps you can take by yourself to help your situation. Keep in mind, this isn’t like a sales call. Our attorneys won’t try to sell you on the legal counsel you don’t need. Many law firms won’t charge you for a consultation to evaluate your case — and we certainly don’t either!

Here’s a general guideline for when you’re going to need a lawyer:

1. Your claim is denied.
2. The adjuster is not paying you the correct amount of weekly benefits on a timely basis.
3. The adjuster is not authorizing your medical treatment on a timely basis.
4. You will likely have a surgery or a permanent disability.
5. You have questions as to whether or not you can return to your old job for the long term.
6. The adjuster is trying to get you to settle your case but is not offering enough money.

Of course, these aren’t the only reasons you might need an attorney, but they are the most common situations we encounter. We understand that every case is different, so we believe the best course of action is to speak with an attorney regarding your individual situation. It’s the best way to find out if an attorney is necessary for your case.

If you’ve been injured at work, don’t hesitate to contact an experienced attorney at Oxner + Permar. We offer free consultations to discuss exactly how we can help you settle your case.