Gupton v. Builders Transport

EAGLES, Judge.

I

Under G.S. 97-31(16), an employee is compensated for the loss of an eye in an amount equal to sixty-six and two-thirds of his average weekly wages for 120 weeks. As in the case of other scheduled injuries listed in G.S. 97-31, this has the practical effect of placing a specific dollar value on the injury based on the plaintiffs past wages. Similarly, when the employee suffers a partial “loss of vision,” G.S. 97-31(19) provides that the employee is to be compensated for the loss in the proportion to the 120 week period stated in G.S. 97-31(16) as the partial loss bears to the…