Workers' Compensation

Smith Moore Leatherwood has a highly experienced Workers' Compensation practice, representing employers, insurance carriers, and third-party administrators across the region.  In addition to direct representation of employers and carriers, our workers' compensation attorneys regularly oversee claims being handled by insurer-retained counsel.  As with other labor and employment–related issues, Smith Moore Leatherwood takes a proactive approach on claims management and cost containment issues.

Drafting amicus curiae briefs to the Appellate Courts in Significant Workers’ Compensation Cases

Holley v. ACTS, Inc., 357 N.C. 228, 234, 581 S.E.2d 750, 754 (2003) (on behalf of North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys)

Dixon v. City of Durham (on behalf of North Carolina Association of Self-Insurers)

Johnson v First Union Corporation (on behalf of North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys)

Oversight Role

Our attorneys counsel employers who have questions regarding their workers' compensation claims, for both the purposes of advice on handling claims and providing second opinions regarding claim evaluation.

We counsel clients and their safety and workers' compensation managers regarding how to manage workers' compensation claims in general, how to avoid claims, which claims should be denied, and how to establish procedures and prepare claims for successful defenses.

Our workers' compensation attorneys are involved in committee work with the North Carolina Industrial Commission and the North Carolina Bar Association to advocate for the interests of our clients.

Our lawyers have a long history of handling appellate cases, which have been instrumental in defining standards for medical causation and expert witness testimony, and for cases addressing occupational disease causation and liability.