Last month, the North Carolina Department of Labor fined Sysco Guest Supply in Concord, North Carolina $12,550 for workplace safety violations that led to the death of an employee.

The accident occurred in late March when a 47-year old warehouse supervisor fell from a storage rack at the company’s facility.  The worker attempted to stabilize himself on a pallet of paper napkins before falling 19-feet.

Investigations into the company began in April after the fatal fall accident.  The company was cited with four serious workplace safety violations.

Violations included working on racks without proper fall protection, riding on the forks of a forklift, leaving a lifted forklift unattended, and failure to evaluate fork lift operators every three years.

The North Carolina Department of Labor recently issued several fines to the High Point Fire Department concerning safety violations at the department.  Total fines came out to $81,300.

Investigators determined that the fire department had committed 16 violations against North Carolina’s Occupational Safety and Health Act.  Investigations into the department began in September 2010 because fire fighters at High Point issued complaints.

The safety violations concern deficiencies in fire fighter training and poor equipment maintenance.  None of the violations found by investigators were willful safety violations.  Officials from High Point will meet with the city and the Department of Labor to discuss how to best resolve their issues.

If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of substandard workplace safety, contact the Raleigh workers’ compensation lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick PLLC at 919-851-3311 to talk with one of our experienced workers’ compensation attorneys.

A new workers’ compensation bill will soon be introduced to the North Carolina General Assembly that would cut some workers’ compensation benefits for injured workers.  In addition, the bill proposes that the cost of workers’ compensation insurance be shifted from employers to taxpayers.

Furthermore, if approved, the bill could possibly cut workers’ compensation benefits off to people who have received them for 9.5 years.  This would include those with permanent disabilities, are paralyzed, and those who will never be able to work again.

In North Carolina, public opinion reveals that voters do not support workers’ compensation reform or limiting benefits to injured or disabled workers.  In a poll of North Carolina residents, 66 percent said that they did not approve of a 9.5 year limit to workers’ compensation benefits.

Contact the Raleigh workers’ compensation attorneys of Scudder & Hedrick PLLC at 919-851-3311 today, if you have been injured in the workplace and would like to speak with a lawyer about receiving the benefits you deserve.

This week, the North Carolina Department of Labor announced that they are accepting applications from businesses in North Carolina for workplace safety awards.  In order for a business to qualify for a safety award, they must have no fatalities at the site they are using on their application.  In addition, businesses must have an injury and illness rate at least 50 percent lower than the average rate in their industry.

“A safety award shows employees and the community that you are committed to safe work environment.  A good safety record is something to be proud of, and businesses deserve to be recognized for their efforts,” stated the Department of Labor’s Commissioner, Cherie Berry.

If you or someone you love has been injured or become ill because of unsafe or unhealthy working conditions, contact the Raleigh workers’ compensation attorneys of Scudder & Hedrick PLLC at 919-851-3311 to learn more about your rights.

In 2010, there were a total of 48 fatalities in North Carolina workplace accidents.  In 2009, there were 34 workplace fatalities in the state.  According to the North Carolina Department of Labor, while workplace fatalities increased in 2010, injuries and illnesses reached an all-time low in the private industry.  80 percent of workplace fatalities occurred because of 4 main types of hazards.  ”Struck-by” accidents resulted in the highest amount of fatalities with 16 in 2010.  Falls accounted for the second highest amount of 15.  In addition, 4 workers were electrocuted and 9 died from being crushed by objects.

“Any workplace death is a tragedy and of great concern because it affects so many people- the family, the co-workers, the community and our department.  We’ll redouble our efforts and work even harder to prevent these accidents from happening, and we’ll call on employers and employees across the state to recommit themselves to workplace safety and health in 2011,” said Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry.

This week, a North Carolina Industrial Commission ruled that the state’s school system will pay workers’ compensation to a former middle school principle.  James Hunt, former principle of Fairmont Middle School, was injured in a shooting on his way to work at the school in April 2009.  While driving to the middle school, another vehicle pulled up next to Hunt’s SUV and fired a shotgun at him.

The commission made their decision in favor of Hunt believing that the shooting was more likely than not connected to Hunt’s anti-gang efforts at the middle school and throughout the school district.  North Carolina school system officials tried to argue that they should not have to pay workers’ compensation to Hunt because the shooting happened off school property.

Contact the Fayetteville workers’ compensation attorneys of Scudder & Hedrick PLLC at 919-851-3311 today if you have questions about filing for workers’ compensation benefits.

In a 2007 study completed by the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute, statistics show North Carolina to have higher medical costs per claim than the other 14 states studied.  Researchers believe the high costs are a result of the fee schedule changes implemented in July 2009.

According to the study, North Carolina’s medical costs per claim are 14 percent higher than the median of states studied.  An average hospital payment per claim in North Carolina is just under $9,500.  The average inpatient payment was 49 percent higher than that of the median.

The fee schedule changes included lowering end caps on inpatient and outpatient reimbursement.  Inpatient hospitalization reimbursement dropped from 77.07 percent to 75 percent and outpatient reimbursement dropped from 95 percent to 79 percent.

If you or someone you know is seeking workers’ compensation, contact the Raleigh workers’ compensation attorneys of Scudder & Hedrick PLLC at 919-851-3311 to learn more about your rights.