If you live in Lincolnton or elsewhere in Lincoln County, a work injury may leave you with questions about paperwork, wages, or a disability rating. Start with the question you need answered. This page brings those topics together with local information and details about arranging a conversation with Brad Smith at the Charlotte office.
The North Carolina workers’ compensation hub explains the forms and wage concepts discussed here. Use it to look up the paperwork in front of you, then follow the companion guides for questions about a new job, payments, or a hearing request.
Finding your bearings in Lincoln County
Lincoln County’s government offices are in Lincolnton. For medical treatment, Atrium Health Lincoln opened its 101-bed hospital on McAlister Road in Lincolnton in July 2010.
US 321 Business runs north to south across the county, while NC 16 Business provides a north to south connection in the eastern part of the county. US 321 and NC 16 connect to I-40, I-85, I-485, and I-77. For an appointment at the Charlotte office, the routes from Lincolnton described below begin on NC 27.
Start with the paperwork and the wage question
You can use the North Carolina hub to read about Form 18, Form 19, average weekly wage, Forms 60/61/63, and Form 25C. These entries give you a place to begin when you have a form number but need the explanation.
If the amount of your benefit rate is what you want to understand, look at the wage information used to calculate it. Average weekly wage is the concept used in that calculation, and the form number identifies the North Carolina paperwork. The guide to average weekly wage explains that connection.
The questions Lincolnton readers ask
Where can I learn about the calculation if I was new to the job?
If you had recently started working there, use the companion guide devoted to that question: how workers’ comp is calculated for a new employee. Bring your questions about the wage calculation to the conversation.
What can I read if my question is about payments stopping?
The site has a guide about whether workers’ comp can stop paying you. Read that discussion and make a note of what you want to ask about your payments.
Which guide discusses a hearing request?
You can read about the process in the North Carolina guide to requesting a workers’ comp hearing. If that is the question you want to discuss, include it when you arrange your first conversation.
The work people do around Lincolnton
According to the county’s economic development association, local sectors include advanced manufacturing, logistics, professional services, and hospitality. Its industry listings include cabinet and hardware manufacturing, bearings and power transmission products, saw blades and hand tools, and asphalt paving equipment.
The county’s economic development association also lists storage rack manufacturing, plastics fabrication, trade, transportation, and utilities, along with education and health services. It features distribution centers as well, and the same list of top employers includes the public schools, county government, a hospital system, and rehabilitation and assisted-living facilities. If your question concerns the wages from your work, the average weekly wage guide is a place to begin.
Reading the inputs in a disability rating calculation
To work through Brad’s rating method, begin with the disability rating percentage and the applicable scheduled weeks. Multiply those together, then multiply that result by the compensation rate.
Rating percentage x applicable scheduled weeks x compensation rate = rating calculation.
When you review the arithmetic, look for all three inputs: the percentage, the scheduled weeks, and the compensation rate. Seeing the percentage by itself does not show the other parts of Brad’s method. Ask a lawyer to explain which North Carolina inputs apply to your claim.
If you want to discuss settlement, you can prepare by reading the guides on calculating workers’ compensation settlements in North Carolina and considering whether to settle your workers’ compensation case. Ask how the rating calculation fits into that discussion.
Working with a Workers’ Compensation Specialist from Lincolnton
The contact point for this guide is The Law Offices of Bradley H. Smith, 3117 Whiting Avenue, Suite 211, Charlotte, NC 28205. Office visits by appointment only. Call (980) 281-9984.
Lincolnton is a service area for the firm: clients from Lincolnton are served from the Charlotte office, by appointment.
From the center of Lincolnton, the Charlotte office is about 40 miles away, roughly an hour without traffic. One route follows NC 27 and US 321 to I-85, then NC 16 toward the office. An alternative follows NC 27 to NC 73 and NC 16. A draft state transportation plan for the county describes NC 27 as near or over capacity between US 321 and NC 73, so allow extra time. Arrange your appointment before making the drive.
Before your first call, write down what you want to understand about your work injury and the paperwork you have. Your list might begin with wages, a disability rating, or a hearing request. If one concern needs attention first, raise that question at the start so the conversation begins with what matters to you.
When arranging an appointment, ask which information to have ready. Read about Bradley H. Smith to learn about the lawyer you will be speaking with, and review the Charlotte office contact information before planning your visit.
Talk through your next question
Bring the questions you want answered, whether it concerns your average weekly wage, returning to work, or a second opinion on medical treatment.
Keep reading
- North Carolina workers’ compensation forms and explanations
- Understanding average weekly wage and the wage statement
- The workers’ comp calculation when you are new to a job
- Whether workers’ comp can stop paying you
- The guide for Concord readers
- Brad’s video center
Bradley H. Smith. Certified as a specialist in workers’ compensation law by the North Carolina State Bar; licensed in NC and SC. No fee unless we recover. Call (980) 281-9984.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the office listed on this page?
The Law Offices of Bradley H. Smith is at 3117 Whiting Avenue, Suite 211, Charlotte, NC 28205. Office visits by appointment only. Call (980) 281-9984 to ask about an appointment. Use the contact page to review the Charlotte office information before planning a visit.
What should I know before driving from Lincolnton to the Charlotte office?
Arrange an appointment before you travel. From the center of Lincolnton, the drive is about 40 miles and roughly an hour without traffic. Routes include NC 27 and US 321 to I-85, continuing on NC 16, or NC 27 to NC 73 and NC 16.
Where should I start reading if I work in one of Lincoln County’s industries?
Begin with the North Carolina workers’ compensation hub for the forms overview. If you want to understand the wages used for your benefit rate, read the average weekly wage guide. The North Carolina wage statement is labeled Form 22. There is also a companion calculation guide for readers who had just started a job.
Last updated: October 8, 2026.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Case examples are shared with client details anonymized. This page is general information about North Carolina law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different. Talk to a lawyer about yours.