airline employees servicing a airplane wheels

Charlotte Airline Employee Workers Compensation Claim

Airports like Charlotte Douglas International Airport are places where several workplace hazards converge, presenting a risk of injury that could significantly impact your life. Airport and airline employees who sustain job injuries in North Carolina could be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, but obtaining those benefits is not always straightforward.

At Stewart Law Offices, we help injured workers overcome challenges and reclaim their lives. Let us support you and pursue the benefits you deserve during this challenging time. Contact us today for your free consultation.

How a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Can Help After an Airline Injury

Workers’ compensation in North Carolina is a no-fault system, meaning there’s no need to prove that anyone else caused your airline injury for you to qualify for benefits. You can receive workers’ compensation benefits even if you caused the accident, but it all starts with informing your employer of your injury.

Here’s how the claims process works:

  • Report the injury – Report the injury to your employer as soon as possible to begin the claims process. You must report the work-related injury within 30 days of the date it occurred to be eligible for benefits.
  • Seek medical attention – If you don’t need emergency care at the accident scene, see a doctor promptly. Employers have the right to choose your doctor in North Carolina. You must get treatment from one of your employer’s approved providers or risk losing your eligibility for benefits. Your physician’s assessment and recommended treatments will be critical to your recovery and claim.
  • Consult a workers’ comp attorney – After reporting your injury, the wisest course of action is to engage a Charlotte workers’ compensation lawyer who can advise on the benefits you’re entitled to by law.
  • Complete required forms – Fill out Form 18 to create a record of your injury. It must be filed with the North Carolina Industrial Commission within two years of your date of injury. Send your employer a copy of this form and keep one for your records.
  • Wait for a response – Your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance company will notify you whether it accepts or denies your claim. If you receive a denial, your lawyer can file motions to assert your rights to benefits.

At Stewart Law Offices, we’re dedicated to providing unparalleled service and support to injured workers. We understand that accidents can happen at any time. That’s why we answer calls and return messages promptly, helping to ensure you always have access to the legal assistance you need. We can visit you at home, in the hospital, or wherever is most comfortable for you. Rest assured that when you choose Stewart Law Offices, you’ll have a qualified attorney on your case from the beginning — not a staff member.

Our attorneys will communicate with you regularly as your workers’ compensation claim progresses, providing updates and answering any questions you may have. We know that being out of work imposes a financial burden, so we don’t charge fees unless we recover money for you.

When it comes to working your case, our Charlotte workers’ compensation attorneys will:

  • Investigate your claim – We will review the circumstances that led to your aircraft injury and highlight critical details to support your claim.
  • Appeal denied claims – A denial is not always the end of the road. Our attorneys can appeal a denied workers’ comp claim by providing additional evidence regarding your injury and its impact on your life.
  • Negotiate with insurers – Insurance companies may attempt to limit their payouts to preserve their profits, all to the detriment of injured workers. We won’t let their nefarious tactics get in the way of fighting for the benefits you need.
  • Resolve disputes – Delays and challenges are common strategies to avoid making payouts. Our lawyers will combat unfair attempts to avoid cooperating with you.

Don’t wait to consult a workers’ compensation lawyer after an injury at a Charlotte airport. Crucial evidence can disappear fast, especially if the injury occurred in the airport apron, in a ground incident, or on the jet bridge.

Workers’ Compensation for Injured Airline Workers

According to the North Carolina Department of Insurance, businesses that employ three or more employees must carry workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation benefits help injured workers, including airline workers, by providing a safety net when an occupational illness or injury prevents them from working.

You may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits if you are an employee and suffered an injury while performing your job duties. Independent contractors do not qualify for workers’ comp benefits in North Carolina.

Common types of injuries that can qualify an airline or airport worker for potential benefits include:

  • Accident-related injuries – Examples include falls, slip-and-trips, machinery accidents, and vehicle collisions.
  • Repetitive strain injuries – These musculoskeletal injuries develop over time due to similar and frequent movements, awkward postures, or forceful exertions. They often affect muscles, tendons, and nerves, causing pain, stiffness, weakness, and numbness.
  • Occupational illnesses – Occupational diseases occur when employees are exposed to hazardous substances or unsafe working conditions for an extended period at work. Airport workers are routinely subjected to loud noises, jet exhaust, and other toxins that cause respiratory diseases, cardiovascular disease, hearing loss, and more.

Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits You Might Qualify For

There are various types of workers’ compensation benefits you could qualify for, including:

  • Medical benefits – These benefits cover reasonable and necessary medical costs associated with your injury and recovery, encompassing past and future injury-related medical expenses.
  • Temporary total disability (TTD) benefits – These wage-replacement benefits are paid if your injuries prevent you from working for more than seven days. The payment is equal to two-thirds of your pre-injury average weekly wage.
  • Temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits – If you can return to work with restrictions or to a different job that pays less than your pre-injury work, you can be paid TPD benefits. These benefits are two-thirds of the difference between your pre- and post-injury wages.
  • Permanent total disability (PTD) benefits – If your injury results in a qualifying disability that prevents you from returning to the workforce, you could be entitled to PTD benefits for life. These benefits are paid at the TTD rate.
  • Vocational rehabilitation benefits – Vocational rehabilitation helps injured workers qualify for and potentially begin suitable employment after their injury.
  • Death benefits – If an employee’s work injury results in their death, the spouse and minor children can be paid up to $10,000 for the funeral and burial and will receive survivor benefits at the TTD rate for up to 500 weeks.

Contact Our Charlotte Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Today

When dealing with an airline or airport-related work injury and its aftermath, you don’t need to be unnecessarily distracted from what’s important — your health. Let the workers’ compensation attorneys at Stewart Law Offices handle your claim while you heal. Call or contact us today for a free consultation with a workers’ compensation lawyer in Charlotte.