Practice Areas

• Workers' Compensation
• Personal Injury
• Social Security Disability
• Employment Law

Firm News

• When the injured worker returned to work he was immediately fired...
  
• Workers' Compensation: The IC ruled that the employer, who willingly paid the medical claim and workers comp for the employee's foot injury, must also pay for pain management because this injury aggravated the employee's pre-existing fibromyalgia and hypertension and was now considered a chronic condition. Although it is tough to win these claims we can usually do it if we the treating physician will agree that the pre-existing condition is worse now than it was and that this change is due to the worker's comp accident....
  
• Workers' Compensation: The Industrial Commission denied the employee's claim for temporary partial disability compensation. The Commission ruled that the reduction in wages that our client received was because of problems with the company's workload due to the economy. It was determined that he didn't receive less pay because of his injury or from the less-paying job within the company that he had to take because of the injury....
  
• Workers' Compensation: The NC Industrial Commission determined that the employer was required to pay our client's medical bills and also continue workers' compensation payments until our client could find a job with his limited physical capabilities. The employer was unable to find work for him at the company and he was fired, which was unacceptable, although it was explained by the employer as happening because of excessive absences....
  
• Workers' Compensation: The North Carolina Industrial Commission threatened to hold CNA in contempt of court because they refused to authorize the medical tests which would prove that the plaintiff was unable to do his job. This was a classic example of an adjuster getting an opinion from a reliable doctor and then refusing any other evaluation which could help the injured worker....
  
• Workers Compensation: The North Carolina Industrial Commission held that National Benefits Association had wrongfully denied this claim for more than a year...but only when the Industrial Commission finally heard all the evidence -- that the employer admitted that they knew the plaintiff was hurt, that they had sent him to a doctor but didn't follow his direction, and that there was no way our client could do his job with his severely-injured back....
  
• Workers' Compensation: North Carolina Industrial Commission says Liberty Mutual must provide yardcare and housecleaning to an injured brickmason....
  
• Workers' Compensation: North Carolina Industrial Commission rules that a restaurant dishwasher who slipped and fell, and was taken straight to an emergency room has proven that he was injured on the job....
  
• Workers' Compensation: North Carolina Industrial Commission finds that Diebold and Broadspire MUST pay weekly benefits even after they fired the injured worker from her "light duty" job....
  
• Workers' Compensation: North Carolina Industrial Commission rules against The Hartford Insurance Company and holds that a nurse who was still on her employer's property when she was hit by a car is within the course and scope of her employment and entitled to workers' compensation benefits....
  

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Library

Workers' Compensation

• Psssst! Who's that following you?
• NCIC Form 25T: Mileage Reimbursement form
• Form 28T: Notice of Termination of Compensation by Reason of Trial Return to Work
• Form 33R: Response to Request that Claim Be Assigned for Hearing
• 10 Things Your Insurance Adjuster Won't Tell You (download)

Personal Injury

• Lightning Strikes Twice (download book)
• Website Resources for Injury Victims
• Police Report/ Accident Report Samples
• Auto Insurance Declaration Page
• Certificate of Employment

Social Security Disability

• Healthcare Clinics in NC with free service
• Free Clinics in Forsyth County
• Form SSA 3381
• Form SSA 827
• Form SSA 561

General

• Common Legal Terms
• The Ten Worst Insurance Companies

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Testimonials

"Mr. Richardson and Ms. York were always available - and they did a terrific job."

"Chip Permar and his team were outstanding!"

"You showed so much concern for me as a person -- there is such a personal touch to everything you do."

"I don't know what I would have done without you!"

"We were nervous at first, but you put us at ease."

"John and Stephanie were patient with me. Great teamwork!"

"Being injured turned into a life-changing event, but it was comforting to know that you understood me and were only a phone call away."

"You guys are on top of your game."

"I researched law firms on the internet, and I could not have asked for a better attorney."

"Whenever I called I got answers."

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How We Work

Our first step in every case is to provide as much information about workers’ compensation, social security disability, and personal injury claims to you as possible.  We want you to understand what you are up against. We believe an education about North Carolina law is absolutely essential to your case. In fact we strongly recommend that you read our books and reports before you meet with us or any other attorney. If you are looking at other lawyers’ websites we recommend that you look closely to see if they are just calling themselves “experts” or if they are proving it with the quality of information they offer.

Our single most important philosophy is that not every injured person needs an attorney, and we might not be the right attorneys for you.

The second step in your case is to speak with an attorney.  We believe that paralegals have their place in a law office.  But we think it is critical that you speak with a lawyer at your initial meeting with us. To make this as easy as possible we strongly suggest that we just chat over the phone about how we work and what is going on in your case. At that point you should know if you want to go further and meet with us face-to-face.

The third step is to actually meet with an injury lawyer. This meeting is a no obligation opportunity to confirm that we know what we’re talking about. More importantly it lets you feel comfortable with any decision to hire us. It is not a sales meeting in any way – we don’t work that way and we would never try to talk you into hiring us. Because you only get one chance to handle your case properly we want you to be 100% committed to us just as we’ll be 100% committed to you.

At the initial meeting we’ll work together to lay out the goals you have for your case. We’ll then draw a plan for reaching those goals. From that point forward we’ll continue to look at that roadmap to make sure we’re still headed in the right direction for your case.

Unlike many lawyers we have an open door policy with our clients. By that we mean if your question or concern is important enough that you can schedule an appointment to meet with one of our attorneys then we’re going to meet with you. We aren’t going to brush you off with a phone call because we understand that you need to see your attorney on a regular basis.  And while we have a staff of highly-skilled paralegals we believe that you need a lawyer working your file and not a “case manager” or paralegal.