Legal Question in Workers Comp in North Carolina

Re: Settlement

At the end of a claim, you are entitled to an election of one of three types of benefits: 1. Permanent total disability if you cannot return to work; 2. A wage loss claim if you return to work at lower wages; or 3. payment of the permanent partial disability (PPD)rating.

The shoulder is rated as part of the arm. For loss of an arm, you get 240 weeks at 2/3 of the average weekly wage. Thus for 10% PPD of the arm, you get 24 weeks of benefits.

Sometimes a lump sum settlement can be negotiated for more (a "clincher"), but that usually requires you to give up any rights to future benefits including medical care. There is no "average" because the value depends on the wages earned at the time of injury and that varies greatly. Unlike personal injury cases, you get nothing for pain and suffering.

Hope this helps.