Who Decides If My Workers' Comp Claim Is Accepted or Denied in North Carolina?
After an on-the-job injury in North Carolina, the first step of the injured employee should be to notify their employer.
While that is commonly known, many wonder what happens after they notify their employer.
Additionally, they want to know who will be making the final decision on their claim for Workers’ Compensation Benefits in North Carolina.
After being notified of the injury by the employee, the employer or the employer’s Human Resources Department will then inform their Workers’ Compensation Insurance Company and let them know an injury has occurred at the workplace.
That process is when the Workers’ Compensation claim is officially filed.
Once the claim is filed, the insurance company will then assign a Workers’ Compensation Insurance Adjuster to the claim.
More likely than not, the adjuster will contact the claimant (the injured worker) to discuss the claim.
They’ll try to figure out how the injury happened, medical treatment information, and any other information they need to investigate the claim.
Ultimately, the insurance adjuster will decide if the claim is accepted or denied once they have reviewed all the information. The claimant (injured employee) will then be notified of the decision.
It’s important to remember that a denied claim is not always the end of the road when seeking Workers’ Compensation Benefits in North Carolina.
Denied North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Claims can be appealed.
At Hardison & Cochran, we frequently help individuals whose initial claims for Workers’ Compensation Benefits has been denied.