The Van Winkle Labor & Employment Law Team

The Van Winkle Law Firm represents employers throughout Western North Carolina, including some of the region’s largest. Our clients include medical centers and government agencies as well as small family-owned businesses. The Van Winkle team brings each client the expertise of an entire team that has received the highest rating in the Martindale-Hubble directory. The firm has the only defense attorney in Western North Carolina who is certified as a specialist in workers’ compensation by the North Carolina State Bar, as well as attorneys recognized as being among the Legal Elite in employment-related matters by “Business North Carolina” magazine and to the list of North Carolina Super Lawyers.

Labor & Employment Law - Types of Services

Workers’ Compensation Defense and Prosecution
OSHA, EEOC, AND DOL investigations
Litigation in state and federal courts
Third-party liability litigation
Policy design and implementation

Practice Highlights

Negotiated $700K recovery for workers’ compensation claimant against two insurance companies, each of whom denied coverage of the claim.
Successfully defended hospital employer in workers’ compensation claim alleging recurrent shoulder injury.
Successfully defended manufacturer in workers’ compensation claim alleging permanently disabling brain injury with exposure for lifetime compensation.
Following late appearance for apparently uninsured employer, obtained successful addition of insurance carrier to workers’ compensation claim and avoidance of personal liability to business owner for compensation award exceeding $200K.
Obtained summary judgment for employer in wage and hour claim by hotel employee seeking class certification that was affirmed on appeal clarifying new law in the state beneficial to all employers.
Successfully negotiated resolution of several incidents of workplace violence without litigation or governmental involvement.
Successfully resolved hundreds of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charges with little, if any, payment required by Van Winkle clients.