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Workers’ Compensation – Carrier on the Risk – Construction Project – Subcontractor’s Policy Cancellation – Agency – Ineffective – General Contractor – Failure to Obtain Certificate (access required)

By North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Staff
Published: April 16,2013

Gonzalez v. Worrell Our Court of Appeals held that Where the defendant-subcontractor’s insurer could not produce the green signature card from its certified-mail cancellation of the subcontractor’s workers’ compensation policy, the insurer failed to prove that it successfully completed the process for canceling the subcontractor’s policy set out in G.S. § 58-36-105(b). Justice Beasley took no part in the consideration or decision of this case, and the remaining members of the court are equally divided. Accordingly, the Court of Appeals’ decision is left undisturbed and stands without precedential value.


Workers’ Compensation – Carrier on the Risk – Construction Project – Subcontractor’s Policy Cancellation – Agency – Ineffective – General Contractor – Failure to Obtain Certificate (access required)

By North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Staff
Published: April 15,2013

Gonzalez v. Worrell : Our Court of Appeals held that Where the defendant-subcontractor’s insurer could not produce the green signature card from its certified-mail cancellation of the subcontractor’s workers’ compensation policy, the insurer failed to prove that it successfully completed the process for canceling the subcontractor’s policy set out in G.S. § 58-36-105(b). Justice Beasley took no part in the consideration or decision of this case, and the remaining members of the court are equally divided. Accordingly, the Court of Appeals’ decision is left undisturbed and stands without precedential value.


Workers’ Compensation – Credibility – Compensable Back Injury – Ankle Injury – Medical Evidence (access required)

By North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Staff
Published: April 11,2013

Brown v. TBC Corp. Plaintiff contends that his ankle injury was the direct and natural result of his compensable back injury. His varying accounts of his ankle injury render his testimony about the incident incredible.


Workers’ Compensation – Total Disability – Self-Employment – Pre-Injury – No Expansion (access required)

By North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Staff
Published: April 11,2013

Marett v. Wal-Mart Associates, Inc Since plaintiff did not expand his part-time catering business after he was disabled by an on-the-job injury, income from the catering business does not allow defendants to pay plaintiff partial – rather than total – disability benefits.


Workers’ Compensation – Medical Benefits – Quadriplegic – Personal Transportation – Extra Day (access required)

By North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Staff
Published: April 11,2013

Herrera-Mendez v. Modular Home Sets Inc. Where the quadriplegic plaintiff’s mental health is adversely affected by his inability to be independent and by the feeling that he is trapped in his two-room home, an increase in plaintiff’s personal and recreational transportation from twice a week to three times per week is reasonably necessary to provide relief and lessen plaintiff’s physical, mental, and emotional disability.


Workers’ Compensation Settlement – No Meeting of the Minds – Medicare Set-Aside (access required)

By North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Staff
Published: April 9,2013

Rainey v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Plaintiff contends that, in the parties’ settlement negotiations, defendants agreed to whatever Medicare set-aside (MSA) the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) approved, while defendants contend that CMS’ approval of a $65,000 MSA was a condition precedent to settlement, but that CMS would only go as low as $266,207. The issue of whether there was a meeting of the minds is one of fact, and the Industrial Commission agreed with defendants as to this issue.


Workers’ Compensation – Going & Coming Rule – Construction Company – Commute to Jobsite – No Exception (access required)

By North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Staff
Published: April 9,2013

Avent v. PLT Construction Although plaintiff, a Surf City resident who was assigned to a Kinston construction project, was a “full-time employee” of the defendant Wilson construction company, there was no guarantee that plaintiff would continue in defendant’s employ at the conclusion of the Kinston project.


Workers’ Compensation – Disability – Vocational Rehabilitation – Plaintiff’s Cooperation (access required)

By North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Staff
Published: April 5,2013

Powe v. Centerpoint Human Services Where defendants never stipulated that plaintiff was disabled, and where they paid benefits only pursuant to a Form 60 and Industrial Commission orders, the Commission must determine the issue of plaintiff’s disability before deciding whether she is entitled to vocational rehabilitation.


Workers’ Compensation – Appeals – Time Limit Waiver – Disability – Causation – Medical Evidence — Migraines (access required)

By North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Staff
Published: April 3,2013

Williams v. Bank of America Although defendants did not strictly comply with the time limitations in Industrial Commission Rule 701, the Commission had discretion to allow defendants’ appeal to go forward.


Workers’ Compensation Civil Practice – Choice of Law – Insurance – UIM – S.C. Policy – Carrier’s Lien (access required)

By North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Staff
Published: April 3,2013

Anglin v. Dunbar Armored, Inc. After the South Carolina-resident plaintiff suffered an on-the-job injury in South Carolina, he sought and received benefits under the N.C. Workers’ Compensation Act from the defendant N.C. employer.



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