North Carolina Workers' Compensation Law Blog

Deuterman Law Group Founder and President is one of 24 Triad Impact Leaders in Law

(Greensboro, N.C., August 14, 2008) –Daniel L. Deuterman, a Greensboro attorney who is committed to helping injured workers while also improving his community, has been selected as one of the Triad Impact Leaders in Law by Business Leader Media.

Deuterman and 23 other attorneys from the Triad will be featured in the August issue of Business Leader magazine. These winners were chosen based on the impact they have made in their industry and in their community.

“I’m a firm believer that success should be measured in the amount of good you do,” Deuterman said. “That belief guides me professionally as I advocate for injured workers other injured people, and it also has motivated me to become involved in volunteer work. At the Deuterman Law Group, we all care about improving the community in which we and our clients live. That’s an important part of our identity as individuals and as a law firm.

“I’m honored to be recognized by Business Leader for the impact I’ve made professionally and personally."

Posted By Grace Kanoy In About Us , Best Practices , News | Permalink | 0 Comments | | Share Link

This latest CNN article about the hardball insurance practices was sent to me by my listserv:  http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/09/insurance.hardball/index.html 

As this article candidly explains, these auto insurance carriers are paying less and less on injury claims, but still continue to increase the premiums for their customers. Meanwhile the insurance companies continue to inundate the media with advertising that casts them in the role of helper and hero. The result is this: more and more jurors are coming to jury duty with the preconceived notion that the plaintiff must be greedy, committing fraud, or looking for a big payday.  

The CNN article even quotes a former juror who said she assumed that the plaintiff in the case that she heard had already received payment for injuries and other damages from the insurance company and that she brought the lawsuit out of greed. In reality, the accident victim's insurance claim was never paid, and she lost in court.

The revelations in this article won't surprise attorneys who represent injured people. Large auto insurance carriers have been using this hardball tactics for years when addressing claims. They have a huge incentive -- profits -- to continue to act this way in the future. 

Posted By Joel Davis In Ethics , Insurance Practices , News | Permalink | 5 Comments | | Share Link

A supposedly injured worker is caught on hidden-camera video doing strenuous work in his backyard.

Footage such as this, shown on NBC’s Dateline, makes for compelling television news. But it also perpetuates the myth that workers’ compensation fraud is rampant.

But it’s not.

Posted By Benjamin Burnside In For Attorneys , Workers Compensation Fraud | Permalink | 0 Comments | | Share Link

Most any workers' compensation claim can be settled at mediation, including pro se claims, uninsured claims, denied claims, claims of fraud, and claims involving SS/Medicare, LTD/STD, retirement, pension, and health insurance issues. Of course, according to the NCIC, only about 75% of all workers' compensation claims are settled at mediation. The following entry is a discussion of why 1/4 of all workers' compensation claims do not settle at mediation.

Posted By Dan Deuterman In Mediations | Permalink | 2 Comments | | Share Link

It can be easy when you handle a considerable amount of cases, to feel like you know what is best for the client. Ultimately, however, it is their case and their life. Consequently, you should always get their input.

In the course of our practice it is not uncommon for a client, who is currently represented by another firm, to contact our office about their case. Unfortunately, the common complaint I hear is, "I have only met my attorney once, and all they said to me is what I should accept for settlement." That is sad.

Posted By Joel Davis In Best Practices , Dealing With Clients | Permalink | 4 Comments | | Share Link

"Wal-Mart - The high cost of low price", a film by Robert Greenwald has sparked outrage in many communities against Wal-Mart. In our law firm, we have seen first hand how Wal-Mart poorly treats their employees when they are injured. The bottom line is companies need to act responsibly. Lawmakers have presented a bill that addresses the issue of companies taking advantage of government assistance instead of providing adequate benefits for their employees. WILG (Worker's Injury Law and Advocacy Group) newsletter recently issued the following article. Sorry there was no electronic version.

Posted By Grace Kanoy In Ethics | Permalink | 0 Comments | | Share Link

Tom Domer of WILG Workers First Watch has some interesting thoughts about how Wal-Mart is degrading workers' rights and hurting communities around the world. Here's what he had to say in a recent essay about the documentary "Wal-Mart -- The High Cost of Low Price," which deals with the company's practices:

Posted By Grace Kanoy In Ethics | Permalink | 0 Comments | | Share Link