Naming of Wrong Insurance Carrier Wasn't Valid Basis for Denying Worker's Claim

The North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled that a worker’s failure to timely file a claim against a specific insurance company is not a valid basis for denial. Case: Hawkins v. Wilkes Regional Medical Center, No. COA16-893, 12/05/2017, published. Facts: April Hawkins injured her back in 2007 while working as a nurse at the Wilkes Regional Medical Center. The hospital admitted that her injury was compensable and paid her benefits. Over the next five years, Hawkins exacerbated her back injury several times. The hospital never contested the compensability of the incidents and continued to...