Author: Hardison & Cochran

Personal Injury Settlements and What You Need to Know About Taxes.

At Hardison & Cochran, our personal injury lawyers commonly hear questions from clients along the lines of “Do you have to pay taxes on personal injury settlements?” or “Are settlements taxable?” The answer is yes, portions of personal injury settlements or awards are taxed, but most of the damages recovered…

red light on

No, it’s not. It’s illegal to use a cell phone for texting or email, including while stopped at a red light while operating a motor vehicle in North Carolina. North Carolina law does allow talking on a cell phone by passenger vehicle drivers over the age of 18. Most drivers…

workers comp denial

Injured workers in North Carolina may file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits to cover on-the-job injuries and work-related illnesses. If your claim is approved, your employer’s worker’s compensation insurance will pay for your medical care and part of your lost wages while you are unable to work. Unfortunately, employers…

North Carolina's statute of limitations

If you have a personal injury claim from a car crash or slip and fall accident in North Carolina against another party whose negligence caused your injury, you have a limited time to pursue justice. In most cases, North Carolina’s personal injury statute of limitations bars filing lawsuits after three…

assumption of risk

Personal injury claims are based on an accident victim’s assertion that they were injured because someone else failed to take reasonable steps – such as obeying traffic laws – to ensure they would be safe from harm. In many activities, however, such as participating in sports and attending a sports…

Worker compensation laws in NC

More than 80,000 workers in North Carolina suffered a nonfatal injury or illness on the job in a recent year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you’ve been injured or have developed a work-related illness, you may have questions about what benefits you can claim through workers’ compensation….

a-male-driver-driving-his-car-too-fast

Public awareness campaigns and legislation over the last few decades have focused on the dangers of drinking and driving, but any impairment makes it unsafe to drive. Unfortunately, our nation is seeing an uptick in drugged driving, especially driving under the influence of marijuana, which is leading to accidents and…

Retiring from your job while on workers comp

An injured worker in North Carolina who does not expect to be able to return to work may consider retirement if he or she is old enough or has the required number of years on the job. However, retiring while receiving workers’ compensation benefits may have a detrimental impact on…