How are workers’ compensation disputes resolved through mediation in North Carolina?

In North Carolina, workers’ compensation claims are governed by the Workers’ Compensation Act (Chapter 97) and administered by the North Carolina Industrial Commission. When a dispute arises — over compensability, benefits, medical treatment, or the terms of a settlement — the case is commonly referred to a mediated settlement conference. In that conference, a neutral mediator certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission helps the injured worker and the employer or its insurance carrier work toward a voluntary resolution. The mediator does not decide the case; the goal is a negotiated agreement the parties reach themselves. Mediation is a central part of the North Carolina workers’ compensation process, and a large share of disputed claims are resolved this way rather than through a contested hearing before the Commission.