As if managing and running a municipality isn’t hard enough, local governments have recently been the target of an increasing number of cyberattacks, both in frequency and in the severity of ransom demands. Just a few examples we have seen include: “We won’t talk more, all we know is MONEY! Hurry up!” — this was…
Numerous businesses impacted by COVID-19 are searching for relief wherever they can find it. Difficult decisions are being made with respect to layoffs, lease or mortgage payments, and federal loan assistance as companies attempt to navigate the current environment. One area generating increased attention is whether a company’s contract provisions create either an obligation or…
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the way we, as a society, operate in our daily lives. Sheriffs and their leadership have been especially affected due to the challenges operating a detention facility presents during the pandemic. Jails around the country have attempted multiple strategies to protect the inmate population, including isolation, testing, and early release…
Many companies carry business interruption insurance as a component of their first-party property insurance or as a freestanding policy. Such coverage protects against losses sustained during periods of suspended operation due to various events and damage. Although there is no doubt that operations and business has been suspended across countless industries in recent months, business…
A recent civil case involving a workers’ compensation claim examines the bounds of third-party beneficiary status in North Carolina. Seguro-Suarez v. Key Risk Insurance Co. began as a workers’ compensation case filed at the North Carolina Industrial Commission. However, the case recently decided by North Carolina’s Court of Appeals is a civil case which was…
Two long-time Deputy Commissioners have recently been nominated by Governor Roy Cooper for appointment to the Full Commission. Deputy Commissioners Robert J. Harris and Myra L. Griffin have both served in their current roles since 2005, adjudicating cases and conducting full evidentiary hearings around the state. Their appointments are pending confirmation by the North Carolina…
Although overshadowed by the Wilkes v. City of Greenville opinion issued the same day, the N.C. Supreme Court came to a decision on another workers’ compensation matter last month. While not as significant as Wilkes in terms of future claim handling (at least until subsequent legislation takes effect), the decision in Harrison v. Gemma Power…