An injured worker represented by Leto Copeley has won her workers’ compensation case against her employer at the North Carolina Industrial Commission. The worker had the job of going to various retail stores to count their inventory. On the day of her injury, she was at a large home improvement chain store counting curtain rods, when a curtain rod display attached to a wooden board fell down and hit her on the head. The worker suffered a concussion, and had to be transported to the hospital. She has suffered ever since from memory problems and disabling headaches, and has been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury.
The worker’s employer accepted her claim on a “pay without prejudice” basis, which is allowed under North Carolina law. They paid for her medical treatment for several months, but then stopped. A hearing was held, where witnesses testified that the injury caused the worker to change from someone who, before the injury, could handle two jobs at once while engaging in church, gardening and family activities, to someone who, after the injury, could not work and has to stay inside most days because of headaches.
A Deputy Commissioner of the NC Industrial Commission ordered the employer to pay the worker starting back in October 2011, and to provide her with the medical treatment that is recommended by her doctors.