Case Results

Selected outcomes from cases handled by Lennon, Camak & Bertics. Names and identifying details have been omitted to protect client privacy. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes — every case is unique and must be evaluated on its own facts.

Workers’ Compensation & Social Security Disability Case Outcomes

Our case results speak for themselves.

We have cases both large and small in North Carolina. We have obtained multi-million dollar settlements, as well as decisions from the Industrial Commission awarding seven-figure amounts of medical and disability compensation, for some of our most severely injured clients. We have also obtained substantial sanctions awards against insurance companies that deny claims in bad faith, or have delayed and denied medical treatment.

We have won exotic workers’ compensation cases involving conditions like Lyme disease, chemical exposures, and latex allergy. While no two cases are alike, we handle every case zealously with the goal of obtaining the best recovery possible.

Below are several examples. Please keep in mind that case results will vary from one case toanother, as each case is handled on an individual basis.

Disclaimer: The following results are illustrative of cases handled by our firm. Each case is unique. Results vary based on the specific facts, the medical evidence, the law applied, and many other factors. Past results are not a guarantee, prediction, or warranty of any future outcome.

Consulting with an attorney about your specific situation is the only way to evaluate your case.

Catastrophic Injuries

In the most severe injury cases, workers’ compensation recoveries can reach into the millions of dollars. This is true even though there is no recovery for pain and suffering available in workers’ compensation claims.

Below are some of the awards and settlements our firm has recovered in workers compensation claims for some of our most severely injured clients.

Several of these awards rank among the highest ever recorded for purely workers’ compensation settlements in North Carolina.

Severe Traumatic Brain Injury - Workers’ Compensation Settlement

$6,400,000 Recovered

The injured worker suffered catastrophic brain injuries and required around-the-clock care. Through multiple expedited hearings, we obtained awards for adaptive housing, skilled nursing, and attendant care. We were ultimately able to obtain a settlement of $6.4 million from the workers’ compensation carrier to provide a lifetime of medical treatment and financial support for our client.

Quadriplegia - Spinal Cord Injury - Workers’ Compensation Settlement

$5,000,000 Recovered

The injured worker suffered quadriplegia after a tragic motor vehicle accident. After winning at trial, and then on appeal including an award of sanctions for bad faith claims denial, the workers’ compensation insurance carrier finally gave in and paid $5 million to settle. This provided the injured worker and his family long term financial security.

Traumatic brain Injury, Chronic Pain Syndrome - Workers’ Compensation Settlement

$3,000,000 Recovered Plus 22 Years of Medical Treatment and Wage Loss Benefits

Our firm settled a workers’ compensation claim for $3,000,000 after 22 years of litigation. During the 22 year life of the claim we also obtained our client both significant medical treatment and wage replacement benefits. Settling the case after 22 years was a tremendous relief to our client and his family. As part of the settlement, we arranged for a more than $1,000,000 fund to pay for his future medical expenses. Our client also received over $1.6 million dollars to use as he wishes. We obtained Social Security Disability benefits for our client as well. Through our work, we have provided our client long term financial and medical security that will provide for him for the rest of his life.

Back Injury - Workers’ Compensation Settlement

$1,250,000 Recovered

The plaintiff had a significant pre-existing back condition including spina bifida and tethered cord. Suffering a work-related back injury was the last thing she needed. We helped her obtain substantial medical treatment to attempt to treat her complicated back condition, and ultimately a $1.25 million settlement to provide long term financial stability and to meet her long term medical needs.

Traumatic Brain Injury, Headaches - Workers’ Compensation Settlement

$1,050,000 Recovered

After suffering a significant head trauma, the injured worker developed debilitating headaches unresponsive to most types of treatment. We were able to obtain a powerful but expensive series of treatments to help our client manage his symptoms and regain quality of life. To settle the claim, the workers’ compensation carrier paid over $1 million dollars in future lost wages and medical care to help the injured worker in his journey to recovery.

Hip and Back Injuries - Attendant Care - Workers’ Compensation Settlement

$750,000 Recovered

The injured worker suffered a fall from a ladder and suffered serious injuries to his hip and back.We were able to obtain attendant care benefits to force the workers’ compensation carrier to pay his wife and adult daughter to care for him. The carrier ultimately agreed to pay $750,000 to settle the claim, providing financial security to the injured worker and his family as he continues to recover with the eventual goal of returning to work.

Accident Claims

Thankfully, not every claim involves catastrophic injuries. However, our firm fights zealously regardless of the potential size of the benefits in the case.

Below are some examples of accident settlements and awards our firm was able to win for our clients.

Back Injury

$500,000 Settlement

Back injuries performing physical job tasks are common. In this representative case, the injured worker sustained multiple herniated discs, requiring surgery, as a result of pulling on a stuck loading dock door. The medical history of this case was quite lengthy, taking many years. Unfortunately, the injured worker never made a full medical recovery from his surgeries. We were, nonetheless, able to obtain a favorable settlement to provide both lifetime medical treatment and lost wages for this seriously injured individual.

Concussion - Teacher

$40,000 Settlement

Serving as a teacher is not as safe as it should be. It is not uncommon for teachers to be injured as a result of students fighting, or merely being rowdy in the classroom. In this representative case, the teacher was injured breaking up a fight, which resulted in a concussion. We helped the teacher navigate the process, obtain medical treatment and lost wages (including through the Episode of Violence program), and obtain a favorable settlement which provided funds for ongoing medical care and the lingering impacts of the concussion.

Occupational Disease Claims

There are many varieties of disease that can qualify as compensable occupational diseases in North Carolina under proper circumstances. Litigating these claims is difficult, but our firm has repeatedly proven to be up to the task.

Below are some examples of occupational disease
settlements and awards our firm has made for our clients.

Latex Hypersensitivity - Researcher

$250,000 Settlement

Latex allergy can develop in healthcare workers and medical researchers regularly exposed to latex. In rare cases, the allergy can be life threatening. We were able to obtain a substantial settlement for a researcher who developed a severe latex allergy, due to occupational latex exposure in her lab.

Ultra-Sonographer

$192,500 Settlement - CMC Joint Arthritis

$200,000 Settlement- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Ultrasounds are an important medical diagnostic tool. The medical professionals who perform these tests, unfortunately, are at high risk of developing occupational diseases of their dominant upper extremity due to substantial flaws in the ergonomics of performing scans. These occupational diseases can be managed when caught and treated promptly, but can be career ending in severe cases. We have handled many of these claims over the years and obtained excellent results for our clients. Above are two examples for two different sonographers for whom we obtained substantial recoveries - one who developed severe degeneration in her scanning hand, and the other who developed chronic pain running down the arm as a result of thoracic outlet syndrome.

Bilateral Knee Osteoarthritis - Baggage Handler

$116,000 Plus Payment of Medical Expenses Awarded

Osteoarthritis is a disease that many people will face as they age. However, certain jobs dramatically accelerate this process. For example, baggage handlers who load airplanes with luggage face significant repetitive trauma directly to the knees as a result of the cramped spaces within the baggage hangar and the heavy weights of checked luggage. In this example case, the baggage handler required bilateral knee replacements in his early 40's. We obtained a favorable award after a lengthy battle, and were ultimately able to both get the injured workers’ medical bills paid, as well as a substantial cash award for his knee condition. Even better, the injured worker was able to return to a high paying job with the airline that was quite a bit easier on his knees going forward.

Tick-borne Meat Allergy

$15,000 Settlement

We have handled many different tick borne illness cases successfully for our clients. These include cases for lyme disease, babesiosis, and bartonella for individuals who have had to work in outdoor settings like botanical gardens and research farms, as well as workplaces that put workers in close proximity to ticks such as veterinary hospitals. However, one of the more unique awards we obtained was for a gentleman who developed a tick-related meat allergy after a work-related tick exposure. A little known fact is that tick exposure can result in the development of a permanent allergy to red meat as a result of exposure to a chemical transferred during tick bites. Although the acquired meat allergy did not prevent the gentleman from returning to work, we were able to obtain the gentleman compensation for the damage to his immune system occasioned by the work-related tick exposure.

Death Claims

Every untimely death is tragic. Under North Carolina Workers’ Compensation law, the families of injured workers who die in the course and scope of their employment are entitled to receive payment for 500 weeks of two thirds of the average weekly wage earned by the injured worker.

As a result, death benefit recoveries are tied to the wages of the injured worker. Our firm has handled numerous death claims. While sometimes death claims arise at the time of a catastrophic accident, others there is a significant delay between the death of the injured worker and the date of accident or disease onset.

Many times, the cause of death is not immediately clear. In these cases, proving liability can be a battle, and we have repeatedly proven up to the task as shown in the examples below.

Firefighter Death - Kidney Failure

$245,000.00 Workers’ Compensation Plus $100,0000 in Public Safety Death Benefits

In this case, the firefighter suffered severe and debilitating injuries to his legs in a serious work accident. He would never walk again. Our firm helped him navigate the workers’ compensation process for multiple years. Unfortunately, over time his health deteriorated, and he eventually passed away from kidney failure four years after his accident. Our firm was able to connect the kidney failure to the consequences of multiple post-surgical infections for his compensable injuries. As a result, we were able to obtain full value for his workers compensation death benefits plus an additional $100,000 through the public safety officer benefits program for his widow in addition to workers compensation benefits during his life.

Delivery Driver with a Back Injury - Opioid Related Fatality

$160,000 Workers’ Compensation Award

In this case, the injured worker was a young man with a serious back injury. Four years after the accident he passed away in his sleep. At the time of his passing, he had been suffering a respiratory infection, and had been prescribed substantial doses of opioid pain killers by his physicians. After several years of litigation and including appeals to the North Carolina Court of Appeals by the workers’ compensation insurance company, we were able to show the respiratory suppression effects of the medication were a substantial contributor to the young man’s death and recovered all available death benefits for his family.

Schedule A Consultation Today

If you have suffered a work-related injury, you deserve to be compensated. Contact the workers’ compensation professionals at Lennon, Camak & Bertics, PLLC for a free consultation on your case today!