Curtis C. Coleman, III, P.A.
Attorney At Law
Practice Areas
Our law firm serves in a number of practice areas and we are dedicated to forming long lasting relationships with our clients. When you need Workers' Compensation benefits or are attempting to obtain Social Security benefits, an attorney will meet with you personally and begin preparing your case. If a hearing becomes necessary before the North Carolina Industrial Commission or an Administrative Law Judge, then we will be with you during the preparation and hearing of that case and an appeal in necessary.
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Workers Compensation
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North Carolina's Workers' Compensation Act was enacted in 1929. More than 80 years later, it can still work for you when an experienced Workers' Compensation attorney leads you through the legal process, speaking for your rights.
If your employer in Eastern North Carolina has failed to take your legitimate workplace injury seriously, and his or her insurer has delayed or denied your application for benefits, you can fight back.
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If you qualify for Workers' Compensation benefits, your employer or its insurer is responsible for treatment of your injury. If your injury sidelines you for an extended period, you may be entitled to two-thirds of your average weekly wageuntil you are able to return to work. And, you may be entitled to additional compensation if you suffer the loss of or impairment of a body part.
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If you become totally disabled from any kind of work as a result of your on-the-job injury, you may be entitled to compensation at two-thirds your average weekly wage for up to 500 weeks. After that, if you are still disabled, you may petition the North Carolina Industrial Commission for an extension of benefits.
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Representation for a Workers' Compensation injury is not something an injured worker should usually try and handle on their own. When an employer or insurer delays or denies your application for benefits, it is imperative to have the guidence and counsel of a skilled Workers' Compensation attorney, one who has indepth and explicit knowledge of the Workers' Compensation laws.
Mr. Coleman has those very skills to assist the injured worker in the process, handling and settlement of their claim.
Social Security Disability
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The most important reason to hire an attorney to help with your disability case is that your chances of being approved are significantly increased. While it's certainly true that some people who apply on their own are approved for benefits, statistics show that, everything else being equal, Social Security is more likely to approve an applicant who is represented by legal counsel than one who isn't.
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On the initial application, Mr. Coleman can offer advice on your "alleged onset date" of disability, argue that your condition meets one of the listed impairments in Social Security's "blue book," and help you focus on the facts that will be most persuasive to Social Security.
At the reconsideration and hearing levels (the second and third level of appeal), Mr. Coleman can collect and submit relevant medical evidence, obtain an opinion from your doctor, draft a detailed brief to the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), and prepare you for the judge's questions at the hearing. Mr. Coleman will also elicit helpful testimony from you at the hearing and will cross-examine the Vocational Expert or Medical Expert to demonstrate that you're unable to work.
At the next stages of appeal, the Appeals Council and federal court, Mr. Coleman can draft sophisticated legal arguments to show that Social Security wrongly denied your case.
North Carolina Certified Mediator
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​Mr. Coleman is available to mediate disputes arising under the Worker's Compensation Act or civil cases that arise in the Superior Courts of North Carolina.
Children's Disability Claims
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You can apply for SSDI or SSI benefits on behalf of your child by visiting your local SSA office. Be sure to bring your child’s Social Security number and birth certificate, as well as any documentation you have of your income, assets, and those of your child. You will receive a SSA-3820-BK form to fill out.
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If the child meets initial eligibility requirements, the file is sent to the state Disability Determination Services (DDS) office where it will be reviewed by a medical consultant and a non-medical examiner in order to determine whether or not your child qualifies for disability benefits.
In order to speed up the review process, provide as much information about, and documentation of your child’s condition, or help the SSA get these records by providing thorough contact information for the healthcare providers who have treated your child and any relevant insurance information. The more information you provide, the better.
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If your child is under 18 and applying for SSI, provide the names and contact information for teachers, daycare providers, and family members who can help the DDS understand how your child functions relative to other children his age. Bring your child’s school records with you if you are able. Be an active participant in helping the DDS get this information; the more helpful you are, the faster the review process will be.
Disability evaluation is relevant only to those children applying for SSI. Under SSI rules, anyone under 18 can qualify for disability based on his own medical issues. However, all SSI claimants, regardless of age, must undergo what is called a sequential evaluation.
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If a child satisfies all nonmedical eligibility requirements and his medical condition is both marked and severe, where marked means more than moderate and less than extreme, and severe means more than mild or slight, he may qualify for disability. Marked and severe is a legal designation in the Social Security Act. It is a designation that can attach to medical conditions that fulfill a specific medical requirement listing in the SSA’s Listing of Impairments or produce the equivalent in functional limitations.
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There are few attorneys in Eastern North Carolina that handle child disability claims before the Social Security Administration.
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If your child has been denied for the initial application of SSI, please contact Mr. Coleman to see if he will be able to help with your child's claim.
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