You may have a compensable worker's compensation claim if you were injured at work in the past two years even if you have now been laid off or your employer closed due to the Coronavirus.
To be clear, this is not an article about whether or not someone affected by COVID-19 directly can be compensated. This is related to what is covered under the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act. Under this act, workers are protected from injury from occupational accidents. These are injuries that occur during an employee’s normal work routine. Though this may change, currently no legislation has been passed that directly addresses injury from disease related to COVID-19.
The fact that a business has closed for whatever reason does not necessarily relieve that business from responsibility to their employees who were injured while employed at the business.
From the employees' standpoint, injury by accident claims MUST be filed within two years of the date of injury unless wage replacement compensation is paid by the employer. This puts the responsibility on the injured party to get representation and get the process started before the two-year period is up.
We urge you to seek qualified counsel if you have been injured on the job.