WORKERS' COMP OVERVIEW

What You Should Know About Our Workers’ Compensation Team

When considering a firm to fight for you, look at the team, the track record, and the resources the firm brings to bear. How much experience do they have? What is their background? Why should you trust them to fight for you?

We’ve seen workers’ comp from nearly every angle imaginable. Our breadth of experience as a team gives us intimate knowledge of the system, the laws governing it, and the insurance companies’ tactics. If you’ve been injured at work, contact us anytime, 24/7 at 1-866-900-7078 for a free case evaluation.

We Have Attorneys Who Formerly Worked for the Commission

Our team includes two attorneys who formerly served on the North Carolina Industrial Commission (NCIC). In other words, we’re not surprised by what the Commission does, we know how it works, and how to work within the system, striving for the best outcome for our North Carolina clients.

We Have Professionals Who Formerly Worked for the Insurance Companies

Some of the people on our team have worked for insurance companies and know firsthand how they do business. They got tired of defending big insurers, fighting to reduce what was being paid to injured workers. Now, they put their knowledge of insurance companies’ tactics and business practices to use. We know their methods, and how to try to counter them.

We Have NC State Bar Board Certified Specialists

The word “specialist” is a very important one in North Carolina workers’ compensation law. It refers to North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialists in specific areas of Law. As of February 2021, there were fewer than 160 workers’ compensation specialists licensed in the state.5

“Under 27 NCAC 01D Section .2701, the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization has designated workers’ compensation as a field of law for which certification of specialists is permitted. Only attorneys that qualify for this designation are entitled to use the term ‘Board Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law.’”

We have several of these NC State Bar Board Certified Specialists on our team. For more background on what it takes to become a workers’ compensation specialist in North Carolina, you can read the NC Bar’s page on legal specialization for workers’ comp.

Our firm has been recognized by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® as one of the “Best Law Firms” for workers’ compensation for the greater Raleigh area4 in 2023.

Quick Facts About Our Workers’ Compensation Team

  • We have several former defense attorneys and paralegals who worked for insurance companies or defense firms, now bringing that inside knowledge to fight for you.
  • Several of our workers’ comp attorneys are NC State Bar Board Certified Specialists in Workers’ Compensation. Helping injured workers is their passion.
  • Two of our attorneys served with the North Carolina Industrial Commission. The NCIC is an impartial agency. These attorneys decided to take your side.
  • One of our attorneys is a former North Carolina State Senator. He was elected to serve the seventh district of North Carolina for four terms, and helped write some of North Carolina’s workers’ compensation law.
  • Several of our attorneys are recognized professionals in workers’ compensation. Some
    speak at seminars for other workers’ compensation attorneys. Others have written books about other areas of law, and several have collected awards for NC workers’ compensation, including eight who were named to the “Best Lawyer”4 list by Best Lawyers in America for 2024.
  • Several of our North Carolina attorneys have more than 10 years of experience in workers’ compensation law.
  • Our attorneys are advocates for those in need. And service to others is not something we take lightly. Many of our workers’ compensation attorneys are members of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice.
  • We have attorneys licensed in North and South Carolina!

Workers’ Compensation Attorneys With Answers

We have a large team of people working for our workers’ compensation clients, led by our core group of North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialists in Workers’ Compensation Law. They are supported by a skilled, experienced staff with dedicated, caring paralegals. Here’s a little more about our team of workers’ compensation attorneys.

Headshot of Douglas Berger, Attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Doug Berger

  • Practicing law since 1990
  • Certified NC Workers’ Compensation Specialist, Board of Legal Specialization of the North Carolina State Bar
  • Former Deputy Commissioner, NCIC
  • Former Head Administrator, Department of Claims, NCIC
  • Former North Carolina State Senator
Headshot of Ryan Bliss, Attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Ryan Bliss

  • Practicing law since 2008
  • Certified NC Workers’ Compensation Specialist, Board of Legal Specialization of the North Carolina State Bar
  • Formerly worked defending insurance companies
  • Listed as a “Rising Star”4 by Super Lawyers magazine, 2018
Headshot of Margo Carnahan, Attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Margo Carnahan

  • Practicing law since 2009
  • Member, U.S. District Court for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of North Carolina
  • Formerly worked defending insurance companies
Headshot of Brian Clemmons, Attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Brian Clemmons

  • Practicing law since 1987
  • Formerly worked defending insurance companies
  • Member, North Carolina Advocates for Justice – Workers’ Compensation section
  • Accepted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals
Headshot of Casey Day, Attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Casey Day

  • Practicing law since 2013
  • Co-Founded UNC Labor and Employment Law Society
  • Licensed to practice in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia
  • Named to “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch”4list for Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants by Best Lawyers in America, 2021 – 2024
Headshot of Matt Harbin, Attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Matt Harbin

  • Practicing law since 2000
  • Certified NC Workers’ Compensation Specialist, Board of Legal Specialization of the North Carolina State Bar
  • North Carolina Advocates for Justice Order of Service award, 2017, 2018, 2019
  • North Carolina State Bar Workers’ Compensation Council member
Headshot of Matthew Healey, Attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Matthew Healey

  • Practicing law since 2002
  • Certified NC Workers’ Compensation Specialist, Board of Legal Specialization of the North Carolina State Bar
  • Named to “Best Lawyers”4 list for Workers’ Compensation law by Best Lawyers in America, 2013–2024
  • Named to “Super Lawyer”4list by North Carolina Super Lawyers Magazine, 2014–2016, 2021
  • Listed as a “Rising Star”4by North Carolina Super Lawyers Magazine, 2010–2013
  • Named Raleigh Workers’ Compensation “Lawyer of the Year”4by Best Lawyers in America, 2015, 2017, 2022
Headshot of Mike Jordan, Attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Michael Jordan

  • Practicing law since 1993
  • BV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell since 19964
  • Order of Service, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, 2007-2015
  • Member, Durham Bar Association (Board of Directors since 2019)
Headshot of Daniel Lehrer, Attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Daniel Lehrer

  • Practicing law since 2010
  • Certified NC Workers’ Compensation Specialist, Board of Legal Specialization of the North Carolina State Bar
  • Named to “Best Lawyers in America”4 list for Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants by Best Lawyers in America, 2024
  • Named to “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch”4 list for Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs and Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants by Best Lawyers in America, 2022 – 2023
  • Member, North Carolina Advocates for Justice
Headshot of Elizabeth Ligon, Attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Elizabeth Ligon

  • Practicing law since 2013
  • Named to “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch”4 list for Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers by Best Lawyers in America, 2023 – 2024
  • Formerly worked defending insurance companies
Headshot of Ali Overby, Attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Ali Overby

  • Practicing law since 2015
  • Certified NC Workers’ Compensation Specialist, Board of Legal Specialization of the North Carolina State Bar
  • Named to “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch”4 list for Workers’ Compensation law – Claimants by Best Lawyers in America, 2022 – 2024
  • Member, North Carolina Advocates for Justice
Headshot of Michael Roessler, Attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Michael Roessler

  • Practicing law since 2008
  • Certified NC Workers’ Compensation Specialist, Board of Legal Specialization of the North Carolina State Bar
  • Licensed to practice in North Carolina and South Carolina
  • Member, North Carolina Advocates for Justice
Headshot of Josh D. Smith, Attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Josh D. Smith

  • Practicing law since 2012
  • Certified NC Workers’ Compensation Specialist, Board of Legal Specialization of the North Carolina State Bar
  • Named to “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch”4 list for Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants by Best Lawyers in America, 2022 – 2024
  • Member, North Carolina Advocates for Justice
Headshot of Susan Vanderweert, Attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Susan Vanderweert

  • Practicing law since 2003
  • Certified NC Workers’ Compensation Specialist, Board of Legal Specialization of the North Carolina State Bar
  • Named to “Best Lawyers”4 list for Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants by Best Lawyers in America, 2022 – 2024
  • Formerly worked defending insurance companies
  • Holds Martindale-Hubbell AV “Pre-eminent” Rating4

If You Were Hurt at Work, Put Our Experience to Work for You

Contact the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin as soon as possible after your work injury. You can reach us online or by phone, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 866-900-7078 for a free case evaluation.

We don’t collect an attorney’s fee unless we collect for you!2 We’ve helped more than 65,000 clients recover more than $1.8 billion in total compensation since 1997.1 Don’t let the insurance companies push you around – tell them you mean business!

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5 Figure provided by the N.C. State Bar as of February 2021.

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