Durham Undocumented Immigrant Work Injury Lawyer

An Honest Undocumented Immigrant Work Injury Attorney in Durham, NC

A workplace injury can leave you facing medical bills, lost wages, and uncertainty about how you are going to support yourself and your family. If you are an undocumented immigrant, there are often concerns about how your immigration status will affect your workers’ compensation benefits and whether there are long-term consequences of a claim. A Durham undocumented immigrant work injury lawyer can protect your rights and pursue the compensation you deserve.

Why Choose the Law Office of Jacob Goad

Attorney Jacob Goad is able to assist both English- and Spanish-speaking clients in navigating North Carolina’s undocumented immigrant work injury laws. No matter your immigration status, the Law Office of Jacob Goad can help you explore your options and file a claim that helps you move on after suffering a work-related injury.

Jacob Goad has been recognized as a Rising Star for 2022, 2023, and 2024 by Super Lawyers and has over ten years of legal experience. *

Understanding North California’s Workers’ Compensation System

North Carolina’s workers’ compensation system provides benefits to employees who have suffered an injury or illness while at work or due to their work. Most employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance in order to protect their employees. Employees can be covered even if they only work part-time, are a temporary worker, or are an immigrant.

Filing a work injury claim through the workers’ compensation system does not require you to prove that a specific individual or party is responsible for causing your injury. This makes it a more simplified process compared to a traditional personal injury claim, which involves proving that someone’s negligent, reckless, or malicious actions led to your injuries.

In 2024, private industry employers in North Carolina reported 64,200 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses. Many of these injuries may have been covered by workers’ compensation, especially if the worker required medical care, had to take days away from work, or was left with a long-term disability.

Types of Benefits Workers’ Compensation May Provide

Workers’ compensation benefits can play a significant role in helping you recover after an accident. Depending on your circumstances and the types of damages you are suffering from, workers’ compensation benefits may include medical benefits and compensation for lost wages. Other accident-related matters may involve a bicycle accident, rear-end accident, or distracted driving accident.

Medical and disability compensation can be used to cover medical costs associated with a work-related injury. This includes emergency care, surgeries, medications, ongoing care, and other necessary treatments related to your injury.

Compensation for lost wages can be awarded if you were forced to take time off from work due to your injury. You may receive weekly compensation worth 66 ⅔% of your normal wage.

Examples of Work Injuries That Can Be Covered by Workers’ Compensation

Workplace injuries can happen in any industry, at any job location, and in a variety of ways. No matter how you became injured, it is worth speaking with a Durham undocumented immigrant work injury lawyer about your next steps for filing a claim. Depending on the circumstances, an injury may involve workers compensation, a car accident, wrongful death, or a traumatic brain injury.

Some of the most common types of workplace injuries we see at the Law Office of Jacob Goad include:

• Slips and falls. Falls account for 17% of all workplace-injury deaths. Slips, trips, and falls can happen for a variety of reasons, such as unstable ladders, wet floors, tripping hazards in a workplace, or unsafe stairwells.
• Machinery accidents. Machinery accidents tend to be extremely catastrophic, as they can inflict crush injuries and deep cuts. Industrial equipment, power tools, and other machinery can all be involved in a workplace injury.
• Repetitive motion injuries. Repetitive motion injuries happen through repeated movements at work rather than one specific accident. Over time, repeated movements can lead to damage to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Many employees experience repetitive motion injuries in their wrists, shoulders, elbows, knees, and other joints.
• Vehicle accidents. Both workers who drive as part of their job and employees who work in an environment with vehicles are at risk for vehicle accidents.
• Exposure to hazardous substances and environments. Contact with hazardous substances, such as hot surfaces or industrial chemicals, or exposure to hazardous environments, such as those with extreme temperatures or electricity, can result in injury. Sometimes, exposure to hazards results in injury or illnesses over time, rather than after first contact in Durham.

Your Rights as an Undocumented Immigrant Worker

If you are an undocumented immigrant worker, it is understandable why you may be worried about the implications of your injury. However, you may have more legal protections than you realize. North Carolina’s undocumented immigrant work injury laws cover undocumented immigrant workers, allowing you to qualify for workers’ compensation.

Beyond the right to file an undocumented immigrant work injury claim through North Carolina Workers’ compensation, another right you should be aware of is your right to legal counsel. You are able to consult a lawyer at any time during this process in order to obtain legal advice or be represented by a lawyer during the case. Legal matters may also involve a construction accident, spinal cord injury, truck accident, catastrophic injury, burn injury, or nursing home abuse.

Why You Should Hire a Top Rated Undocumented Immigrant Work Injury Lawyer

Pursuing compensation after a work-related injury can be challenging, especially if you are concerned about your immigration status. Depending on the circumstances, other injury claims may involve medical malpractice, a motorcycle accident, or a pedestrian accident.

If you hire an undocumented immigrant work injury lawyer, they can help you file a claim while protecting your rights as a North Carolina worker. More specifically, a lawyer can:

• Protect your rights. A lawyer can explain the protections that North Carolina and Federal undocumented immigrant work injury laws offer throughout this process. They can also recognize invasions of your rights and take appropriate action if this occurs.
• Investigate the accident. A lawyer can gather witness statements, medical records, incident reports, photos and videos from the accident scene, and any other evidence that can be used to establish how you became injured.
• Manage the claims process. The process of filing a workers’ compensation claim can feel confusing and unfamiliar. A lawyer can manage this process for you, so that you can focus on your own recovery.
• Challenge denied claims. Despite the fact that undocumented immigrant workers do have the right to claim workers’ compensation benefits, claim denials do happen. A lawyer can help you challenge denials and pursue the compensation you are owed.

Reach Out to a Skilled Durham Undocumented Immigrant Work Injury Lawyer Today

The Law Office of Jacob Goad can help you recover from a workplace injury, no matter your immigration status. Contact us now to schedule a case consultation with a Durham undocumented immigrant work injury attorney.

*Awards and recognition are not guarantees of future results. Selection criteria vary by organization.