What Are Work Restrictions In North Carolina Workers' Compensation Claims?

If you get hurt at work, it’s important to report the injury and seek medical assistance promptly. Inform your boss about the incident, and they will initiate a workers’ compensation claim and refer you to a doctor whom the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Company selects.

Urgent care centers are typically used for the initial visit after an injury, except when the injury is severe enough to require an emergency room visit. When you visit the medical provider for your North Carolina work injury, make sure to immediately tell the doctor about all your injuries and any pain you’re experiencing. Detail the affected body parts and the extent of your discomfort to enable the doctor to diagnose your condition accurately and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Work restrictions, such as not lifting more than a specified weight, avoiding bending or crawling, or not using ladders, are implemented to ensure your safety and aid in your recovery.

In North Carolina, present these work restrictions to your employer. If they can accommodate them, they must provide a job description and submit it to the treating physician to verify that the job is suitable.

If you earn less in this light duty role than you did before your injury, you are entitled to temporary partial disability benefits. This means the insurance will compensate for the difference between your pre-injury wage and your current light duty earnings.

Should your employer be unable to provide work that adheres to the doctor’s restrictions, they are obligated to offer you temporary total disability benefits to cover the wages you lose as a result of being unable to perform your regular job duties.