NC COA Examines Whether an Employee’s Injury Arose Out of and in the Course of His Employment When Commission Finds Employee Was “Joyriding”

Kyla Block
Workers' Compensation

When Plaintiffs are injured at work under circumstances which raise the question of whether the precipitating activity was “in furtherance of” versus “incidental to” the job duties assigned and the employer’s interest, the North Carolina Courts will look closely at the nature of the activity and the behavior immediately prior to the incident to determine…

Attendant Care in Post-Reform North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Claims

Courtney Britt
Workers' Compensation

In recent years, attendant care provided under North Carolina’s Workers’ Compensation Act has gotten quite a bit of attention in the appellate courts and at the General Assembly.  In particular, the Court of Appeals’ 2011 decision in Shackleton v. Southern Flooring & Acoustical Company presented a challenge for employers.  Reversing the Commission’s denial of an attendant…

North Carolina Court of Appeals Rules Drug Test, Background Check Constitutes “Last Act” Necessary to Create Employment Contract

Elizabeth Ligon and Bruce Hamilton
Workers' Compensation

In Holmes v. Associate Pipe Line Contractors, Inc., the Court of Appeals determined that post-offer contingencies, such as background checks and drug testing, constitute the “last act” necessary to create a contract of employment. On October 29, 2013, Plaintiff, who was living in North Carolina, was contacted via telephone by a union representative and offered…