Mastanduno v. Nat'l Freight Indus.

Workers' Compensation Records Are Generally Public, Court Rules

A worker named Mastanduno was injured on the job at National Freight Industries and filed for workers' compensation benefits. He asked the court to keep his entire workers' compensation file private and sealed from public view, arguing that his medical information should remain confidential.

The North Carolina Court of Appeals sided with the employer and denied the worker's request. The court found that there was no legal requirement - either in state law or the Constitution - that would allow the entire workers' compensation case file to be sealed just because it contained medical information. The Industrial Commission had already rejected the request, and the appeals court agreed with that decision.

This ruling matters for workers because it means that workers' compensation case files are generally considered public records that others can access. While workers may have legitimate privacy concerns about their medical information being made public, the court determined that current laws don't provide a way to keep entire case files secret. Workers should be aware that when they file for workers' compensation, the details of their case may become part of the public record, including medical information related to their workplace injury.