What You Need to Know About Immigration Status and Workers’ Compensation in NC

North Carolina is a very diverse place to live. Many people leave their home countries and come to the United States looking for opportunity. Many come to North Carolina for the beautiful weather and scenery. Sadly, some individuals are not fortunate enough to come here with the benefit of a visa or legal status. Many of these individuals live here under constant fear of deportation while they navigate through the convoluted, and often very drawn out, immigration system.   Many of these people often find themselves finding work that involves heavy manual labor, which carries many risks associated with that type of employment.   Did you know that people who do not yet have legal immigration status and get injured by an accident while on the job may still be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits?

Many immigrants are afraid to report work place injuries out of fear that they might lose their job, or even worse, get deported. However, the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act was created to be a no fault system, and does not take an injured worker’s legal status into consideration when determining whether they are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Therefore, it is important that people know that when they get injured on the job, they need to report it and file a claim – regardless of their legal immigration status!

It’s important to know that North Carolina generally only allows an injured worker to file a claim if they reported it within 30 days of the accident. So time is of the essence! If you have been injured on the job, and need a free legal consultation on your right to potential benefits, contact us today at 704-296-0055! You may be entitled to lost wages, loss of earning capacity, payment for medical bills and services, and payment for any permanent injuries. Call The Law Offices of William K. Goldfarb today. We are here to help ALL who have been injured!