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ASHEVILLE PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER, WORKERS' COMPENSATION ATTORNEY

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WELCOME TO JAY KERR LAW

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Jay Kerr - Lawyer of the Year

True Understanding: Jay Kerr

My father became disabled when my sisters and I were young. Our family nearly lost everything, but my parents got good legal advice and persevered. My mother became a paralegal for the attorney who helped us. My father became our hero who preserved our future through wisdom, frugality and dignity. And I became a personal injury attorney focused on matters of personal injury, workers’ compensation, and wrongful death, who truly understands when serious personal injuries hit home.

Today, as a father myself, I passionately strive to help those in Asheville and the surrounding area, who suffer disabling personal injuries or the loss of a loved one find justice while working to protect children from carelessness.

 

Plain & Simple: We Take Action

Many of our clients are unable to take care of their families or themselves because of serious injuries, or they have unexpectedly lost a loved one.

They need clear and frank advice, but most of all they need us to take action to protect their rights and to seek reasonable compensation. Ultimately, it takes knowledge, resources, dedication, and hard work to help our clients through what possibly is the toughest time of their lives.

Asheville Workers Compensation Attorneys Best Car Accident Lawyers in Asheville

PERSONAL
INJURY

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Experience That Matters Most

A BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM

MEET OUR TEAM

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Asheville NC Personal Injury Attorney - Jay Kerr Law

JAY KERR

Attorney

Melissa Truitt

MELISSA TRUITT

NC Bar Certified Paralegal

Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation Claims and Litigation

Lisa M. Wilson | Jay Kerr Law

TARA KERR

CPA, MBA

Firm Accounting & Financial Management

JAY KERR LAW

WE WILL FIGHT FOR YOU

WHY CHOOSE US?

We Are A Boutique Law Firm

Small but resourceful enough to give highly-personal, effective service. Especially in today’s technology-immersed world, we believe that our clients are best served by regular discussions about their matters. 

Hiring a professional, any professional, to help with a serious matter can be downright scary.  We understand and respect that better than most.  Accordingly, we don’t ask for a client’s trust.  We gain it by being respectful, decent, and simply doing what we say we are going to do.

Although we help those who have been injured or who have lost a loved one, we are most passionate about helping disempowered workers and innocent children who become disabled by serious injuries.

We respect all human experiences, and we strive to protect lives, liberties, and our diverse pursuits of happiness. And when serious injuries or a loved one’s death affects those rights, we dedicate our professional efforts to seek fair and just compensation, as well as to shape attitudes about safety and to effect reasonable, protective changes.

Ultimately, we believe that the law allows ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

RECENT SUCCESS

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LET US HELP YOU TODAY!

JAY KERR LAW

RECENT RECOGNITION

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Settlement of Negligence Claims against local BSA Troop

General Negligence Confidential settlement of negligence claims against the Boy Scouts of America, Daniel Boone Council, and Troop 605 in Western North Carolina pursuant to allegations of preventable sexual abuse of a 13 year old Scout by a 15 year old Scout during a...

Wrongful Death – Bus/Pedestrian Collision – LawyersWeekly.com

Motor-Vehicle Collision Bus fatality highlights fuzzy area of immunity Is transportation a proprietary or governmental function? North Carolina appellate law addresses questions of governmental immunity for counties and cities in a variety of situations. But a lawsuit...

WHAT OUR CLIENTS HAVE TO SAY

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Margaret - Bryson City, NC

As a one-time practicing attorney, now retired, I know when it is essential that I obtain top notch legal representation. Unfortunately, I was in a wreck with a tractor/trailer rig that was, in the words of the investigating officer, worthy of the movies. Fortunately, an attorney friend referred me to Jay Kerr. Jay and his staff were smart, efficient, and highly responsive. Jay’s analysis of my options, and his explanations regarding the law and the negotiating process, were spot on and reassuring. After an absolutely horrendous experience, I came away feeling whole. 

Nick

Jay could not have been nicer, or more helpful. His legal acumen within his realm and beyond is unrivaled in WNC. Jay is universally respected by both prosecutorial and fellow defense attorneys. I can not recommend his practice highly enough!

Diane

Jay Kerr is an exceptional lawyer. He made me feel heard when I first approached him three years ago about my case. He explained legal issues to me in a teaching manner. Always made me feel like I was a valued client. Jay and his paralegal Melissa worked hard on my case, making sure my rights were honored. I highly recommend Jay Kerr and give his team 10/10.

Jim

Jay was overwhelmingly helpful, way beyond my expectations. I called not sure of what to even say or ask. I just felt like I was no match for big insurance. I needed some direction. Not only did Jay hear me out but he looked further into my situation and gave me helpful advice but even more important to me, he gave me confidence in pursuing my issue on my own. What great character! Instead of insisting I hire him before giving me assistance, he showed genuine concern for my situation and wanted to help. Unbelievable. I was not expecting that at all. I was anxious when I called but by the next day I had a solid plan. I had relief. I am so grateful I called. And if my situation ends up being too much for me to handle on my own, I will not hesitate to hire him to take over. I highly recommend him and his staff.

David

My legal issues where settled in a prompt, professional manner! Everything was explained in a way that was easily understood. My opinion was valued highly and treated as important. All staff where very personable but professional and worked well as a team! Melissa went above and beyond the call of duty as a paralegal! Mr. Kerr shows all the traits of a true and empathetic professional, demonstrating a persistent but fair mannerism. He ensured that I was taken care of presently and that any further medical problems that could arise in the future would be covered. Worth every penny and highly recommended! Thanks to you all!

Chuck

Jay and his team are down to earth, honest, compassionate, and highly skilled. They helped us navigate through what proved to be a complex case. Despite numerous obstacles outside their control and ours, they: 1.) worked tirelessly to ensure that we understood each part of the process, 2.) honestly evaluated and represented our situation, and 3.) helped us negotiate a favorable settlement in a very timely manner. If you should find yourself in a similar situation - don't add " insult to injury"- make sure to choose Jay and his team!

Ajay

Jay Kerr was a blessing to work with. I was rear-ended in a collision and He and his staff were tremendously helpful through this whole ordeal. I am very grateful for all of their help and would STRONGLY encourage anyone who is looking for someone to represent them to give Jay Kerr a call. Jay, Lisa, and Melissa, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

Kay

My husband sustained a brain injury in the line of duty as a North Carolina State Trooper and we were struggling terribly through the workers compensation process...then Jay Kerr took over. Life improved immediately. Jay Kerr does exactly what he says he will do, when he says he will do it. He was and still is always available for us when we need him and he and his wonderful staff are very prompt in returning all phone calls and emails. We were no longer alone in a very difficult process and he was able to resolve our issues in a very difficult case.

I don't know where we would be today without him. You can trust Jay Kerr Law to take care of you and your family. He worked tirelessly and stood up for my husband when my husband, due to his injuries, could no longer stand up for himself. I highly recommend Jay Kerr Law. I can't say enough about how Jay Kerr stepped in to represent us, in a very difficult time in our lives, and Jay Kerr Law made the difference!

Aaron

Jay and Melissa were awesome! They always returned my phone calls and emails very promptly, fought for every cent, and ended up getting me an excellent settlement! When my injury occurred I had no idea what was going to happen for me financially and knew almost nothing about workers compensation. Jay was very patient in explaining the whole process to me and gave me peace of mind when I had a lot of uncertainty in my life. Thank You!

Gary

Jay Kerr Law is hands down the best workers comp lawyer in town and in my opinion western NC if not the whole state. He and his staff truly care for you as a person and not just a client. He's not there to just make a buck. His best interest is you. He puts in the time and I mean time in your case. He is very honest and upfront about everything. Good or bad. He has all his Ts crossed and Is dotted. He is a family man and I would recommend him any time. He makes you feel comfortable and by doing so I can honestly say that I consider him a friend and not just my attorney. If you are in need of a workers comp attorney I highly recommend Jay Kerr Law 200%.

Lindsey

Jay and Lisa were patient and very clear in their explanations regarding the ins and outs of our options when we got into a car accident. They made sure we fully understood everything that was happening and really took over the heavy lifting of managing our communications with medical providers, insurance companies, and other interested parties, so we could fully focus on recovery without any added stress.

It was clear they put a great deal of work into preparing an initial settlement offering that was fair and could be accepted by the insurance company without significant back and forth. If you’re looking for an attorney who (and whose team) will do everything in their power to obtain a fair settlement without you having to stress or worry about the details, I highly recommend the services of Jay Kerr Law!

David

Choosing Jay, Melissa, and Lisa to represent me in my workers comp case was a great decision. They always kept my best interest in mind and made sure that I understood the legalities in plain English. I'm not sure how things may have turned out. I would recommend Jay Kerr Law to anyone who needs legal help.

Jeff

Mr. Kerr and his entire staff were extremely helpful in my worker's comp case. Mr. Kerr made sure that I was informed on every single decision made. Not fully understanding Worker's Comp I am so grateful that I went to Mr. Kerr for legal advice because he worked to get me 2 1/2 times what I was offered. Thanks again for a job well done.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUEStIONS

Top 5 Workers' Comp FAQs

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1. My workers’ comp claim was denied. What should I do?

First, it is important to keep in mind that your employer and their workers’ compensation insurance carrier or claim administrator may actually have valid reasons to deny your accident claim. Such claim denials tend to fall into one of three main categories:

(a) I got hurt on-the-job, but the insurance adjuster says there was not a compensable accident based on the laws. Compensability means that you sustained an injury for which you are entitled to medical compensation and, if disabled from work, also entitled to wage loss indemnity. [Please see the article on Key Vocabulary for explanations of these concepts.]

Generally speaking, although there are some other technical aspects that may arise, with limited exceptions, the harmful incident must normally involve two things to be deemed compensable: (1) something unexpected and untoward (difficult to manage or prevent) occurred, and (2) it did not merely involve an activity which is a natural part of your job duties.

In essence, when you think about accidents outside of the work environment those typically are similar to what are contemplated by workers’ compensation: a slip and fall, an equipment malfunction, a car wreck, etc. Nevertheless, normally a compensable accident in workers’ compensation does not include injuries arising similar to getting hurt doing your normal activities of daily living but absent such events. For example, if your job requires you to place several boxes containing product parts on a table every hour, and one day you feel a pop in your right shoulder setting a box on the table, then you probably did not have a compensable accident, although it was an unexpected event since lifting and moving the boxes is an inherent part of your job duties. But, if the contents unexpectedly fell out of the box, jerking your right arm forcefully before the pop, then the incident might be considered a compensable accident.

One major exception to the narrow definition of a compensable accident involves injuries to your neck and back [technically called your spine, which has three segments: cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back) and lumbar (low-back and tailbone).]

Specifically, if you suffer an injury to your neck or back while performing your job duties, and such arose from a specific traumatic incident, then you likely sustained a compensable accident, although you were doing your normal work activities and nothing unexpected occurred, except perhaps the fact that you, unfortunately, got hurt. So, the take-away is that it is far easier to show that an on-the-job injury was due to a compensable accident if it arose from some incident, or a series of incidents, that caused specific trauma to your neck or back.

For injuries to body parts other than the neck and back, there are limited exceptions that may give rise to a compensable claim absent a pure accident, so to speak. However, such claims involve a more detailed appreciation of the events surrounding the injury, so a legal consultation normally is required to determine if the incident facts support such. The two main exceptions involve the contraction of an occupational disease (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrists) and instances where you get hurt because your normal job duties were interrupted by other work you were temporarily assigned to perform.

(b) The workers’ comp adjuster says that I got hurt at home or someplace else other than at work, and, to make things worse, they also act as if I do not really have an injury. Many times injured workers are simply not believed, especially if there are no witnesses to an accident and the injuries are not readily visible, e.g., you are working alone in an area of a warehouse and you hurt your back lifting boxes. Your credibility gets questioned, which leads to a claim denial.

These can be tough cases to prove, and anything and everything that supports or tends to refute your credibility is critically important. This usually starts with your employer’s perception of the situation but also involves whether or not you had prior problems with the same body part, especially if due to prior accidents, and it can then delve into your work ethic and overall character and reputation for honesty.

(c) The insurance adjuster says that my medical condition is not related to my job, although I feel certain my work has caused it. You may believe that you have developed a medical condition as a direct result of your job duties. If so, you may then seek to prove that you contracted an occupational disease, as such is defined by the Workers’ Compensation Act. There are certain medical conditions that specifically are presumed compensable under the proper circumstances, but otherwise you essentially have to prove two things (normally based on the opinion of a competent medical professional): (1) that your medical condition is causally related to your work; and (2) that your work posed you to a greater risk of contracting the condition than someone is normally exposed in their activities of daily living outside of work. If you believe that you have contracted a medical condition or disease as a direct result of your work duties, then you should immediately consult an experienced workers’ compensation attorney.

 

2. I got hurt on the job and the company doctor has put me out-of-work, but I am not getting a workers’ comp check.

Normally, the employer’s insurance carrier has two-weeks after it has notice of your job accident to start paying you for wage loss if you are disabled from your job. However, from a practical perspective, you may not get a check within that time-frame for many reasons, and it becomes frustrating, especially since you probably have bills to pay. Too often, employers do not report accidents to their insurance carriers, and, in addition, the injured worker doesn’t understand what they need to do. We believe it is best to contact a reputable workers’ compensation attorney immediately after you get hurt on the job, in order to learn what steps you need to take to protect your rights and to start the claim process. A reputable and competent workers’ compensation attorney should offer a no-charge consultation, so there are not economic barriers to you learning about your rights and obligations.

Most important, although there are some practical exceptions, you are required by law to report your accident in writing to your employer within thirty (30) days of the accident date.

Typically, any reasonable report of the accident that is documented with the employer in some written form satisfies this requirement. However, if you fail to meet this requirement but can otherwise show the employer had clear notice of your accident, then often your claim will not be barred because of such failure. Nevertheless, it always is best to confirm notice of your accident to the employer with some form of written documentation, which simply could include a company incident report or perhaps a medical note from the physician to whom the employer sent you for medical treatment after the accident.

3. I am receiving a weekly comp check but I do not think I am getting paid enough.

You are entitled to receive two-thirds (66 & 2/3rds %) of what is determined to be your properly calculated average weekly wages (AWW) as of the accident date. Although the Workers’ Compensation Act provides for several, potentially alternate methods to calculate such AWW, the initial method is to take the total of your earnings (wages, salary, bonuses, overtime pay, etc.) for the 52 weeks immediately prior to your accident date and divide such amount by 52 weeks, which would provide the AWW. [Note: If you were out of work during the subject period for any period of eight (8) days or more, then such week/day periods would be subtracting from the 52 weeks before the total earnings then would be divided by the remaining number of weeks/days to obtain the proper AWW.]

It is possible that the employer and/or the insurance adjuster has calculated your AWW simply based on your base pay or by merely taking your hourly pay rate and multiplying such by a set number of weekly work hours, and thereby it has not included any overtime or bonus pay during the relevant period. The employer, its insurance carrier, or claims administrator is required to complete a form (Form 22) which provides the necessary information upon which your AWW should be calculated. However, very often the Form 22 is not completed properly, if at all, and only an estimate of your AWW is used to calculate your weekly wage indemnity benefits (i.e., your weekly workers’ comp check amount).

Nevertheless, sometimes the AWW estimate is greater than your properly calculated AWW, which means that you probably are getting overpaid and may face the employer receiving a credit by it deducting any overage from future wage indemnity payments. Accordingly, we recommend that you seek to determine your proper AWW as soon as possible after your accident. This is one of the first tasks we complete when we are hired to represent an injured worker because it is a key component of their workers’ comp claims.

4. I am out-of-work with my work comp check on, but I do not think I can go back to doing my regular job.

In addition to being in one of the most frustrating, if not frightening, situations as an injured worker, you probably are facing one of the most problematic scenarios in the realm of workers’ compensation.

To help you understand the relevant issues involved, please see the article on our website entitled A Practical Framework: Proving Disability under the Workers’ Compensation Act. The article provides a plain-English discussion of how an injured worker must prove initial and on-going disability, especially when they can’t do their prior job, in order to be entitled to wage indemnity.

5. I am not getting the medical care I believe I need for my accident injuries.

Generally speaking, you are entitled to reasonable and necessary medical evaluation and treatment which either will tend to heal your injuries, provide symptom (pain) relief, or lessen your work disability. However, with very limited exception, your employer and its workers’ compensation insurance carrier or claims administrator has the right to direct you to medical professionals they select. You do retain the right to seek an independent evaluation as well as certain, reasonable treatment from medical professionals you personally select, but such separate care may not interfere with the care provided by the employer- selected professionals. Most important, the care you seek privately may not replace the employer- selected care, unless you get the approval for such from the Industrial Commission or the employer otherwise agrees.

In light of the above, there are rules and procedures in place that allow for the injured worker to seek approval from the Industrial Commission to have certain medical care authorized and paid for by the employer. Likewise, however, the employer often has the ability to send you to new and different medical professionals when it becomes concerned about the care being provided by initially selected professionals. Such concerns can involve care issues which you may also be worried about, or, such could actually involve the employer attempting to navigate your care in a certain direction, so to speak, which the Industrial Commission potentially may find unreasonable. Many of our clients primarily hired us to help them get the medical care they believe was reasonable and necessary to evaluate and treat their accident-related injuries but which the employer, its insurance carrier, or claims administrator had refused to authorize. Ultimately, this can be one of the more contentious areas in workers’ compensation, so it is of paramount importance to hire an attorney who is well-versed with the applicable medicine, familiar with your treating medical professionals, and dedicated to your cause.

FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION

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