Scheduled Injuries
Generally, an employee has to prove that he or she became disabled as a result of injury. There are some injuries that are conclusively presumed to be disabling. These are outlined in N.C.G.S. 97-31. These are considered the scheduled injuries. Compensation will be paid during the healing period, and additional benefits will be paid for a specific number of weeks listed for each type of injury. It is important to note that compensation paid under N.C.G.S 97-31 will be in place of all other compensation. This includes payments for disfigurement too.
Here's an example - Ron gets his leg severely mangled in a workplace accident. He winds up in the hospital where he is hospitalized for a few weeks. Eventually the doctors could not save his leg and they amputate his leg, and he gets subsequently discharged a few weeks later. The doctor tells him that he needs no more treatment, but that he's only with one leg now. In this situation, he would be able to be compensated for the temporary total disability benefits throughout the healing period. If Ron could not return to any suitable employment, he would continue to receive ongoing disability benefits. However, if he was able to return to work at a similar wage to his pre-injury work, then he'd be entitled to another 200 weeks of compensation for the total loss of use of the leg. Hypothetically, if he only lost part of the use of the leg, the 200 weeks would have to be multiplied by the percentage of loss of the leg so that the entitlement would be diminished.
North Carolina General Statute N.C.G.S. 97-31 lays out the maximum number of weeks allowed for injury to parts of the body. Loss of a thumb carries up to 75 weeks of compensation. An index finger is worth 45 weeks while a 2nd finger is worth 40 weeks. The third finger is worth 25 weeks while the little finger is only worth 20 weeks. The great toe is worth 35 weeks of compensation, but any other toe is only worth 10 weeks. An entire hand carries up to 200 weeks of compensation, as does an entire leg. The arm carries a maximum compensation of 240 weeks, and a foot is worth 144 weeks of compensation. One eye is worth 120 weeks of compensation. Complete loss of vision is the same as losing an eye.