Whitfield v. Laboratory Corporation of America

**Whitfield v. Laboratory Corporation of America: Workers' Compensation Victory** This case involved a Laboratory Corporation of America employee who suffered back, neck, and leg injuries during a workplace incident on June 5, 1998. The worker filed for workers' compensation benefits, claiming her injuries were caused by a traumatic event that happened while she was doing her job. Initially, a Deputy Commissioner denied her workers' compensation claim. However, the worker appealed this decision to the Full Commission, which is a higher authority in North Carolina's workers' compensation system. The Full Commission reversed the earlier decision and ruled in favor of the employee. They determined that the traumatic incident did occur during the course of her employment and directly caused her ongoing injuries to her back, neck, and legs. As a result, they awarded her workers' compensation benefits. **Why this matters for workers:** This case shows that employees shouldn't give up if their initial workers' compensation claim is denied. The appeals process exists for a reason, and higher authorities may view the evidence differently. If you suffer an injury at work that causes ongoing problems, you may be entitled to workers' compensation benefits even if your first application is rejected.