What Happens if I Don’t Receive My Workers’ Compensation Payments on Time?

Your temporary total disability check is processed each week by the workers’ compensation insurance carrier, and the check is usually processed on the same day, e.g. Friday, each week.  As a result, you can anticipate consistently receiving your temporary total disability check around the same day each week.

If you do not receive your weekly check from the workers’ compensation insurance company, you may want to wait a couple of days before contacting your workers’ compensation attorney.  Often a delay is caused by the insurance company having a glitch in processing the check for the week or it may simply be a delay caused by the postal service.  If you have not received your check within a couple of days of the date it is expected, contact your workers’ compensation attorney’s office to let them know the check has not arrived.  Your attorney will contact the workers’ compensation insurance claims adjuster to determine the status of your temporary total disability check.  The problem is usually quickly corrected and the check arrives within a couple of days.

Although the delay can is frustrating and may even impact your ability to pay your bills, it is rare that an insurance company intentionally delays the payment of temporary total disability.  However, if the check has not been received in a reasonable period of time, your workers’ compensation attorney can file a motion with the Executive Secretary’s Office of the North Carolina Industrial Commission requesting a 10% late penalty be assessed against the employer.  The Industrial Commission is obviously concerned if an employer or their insurance company is not paying workers’ compensation checks on a timely basis.  As a result, contact your attorney if there is ongoing problem with receiving your temporary total disability checks.