Title: Estate of Freeman v. J.L. Rothrock, Inc.
Citation: 363 N.C. 249
Docket Number: 163A08
State: north-carolina
Issuer: north-carolina Supreme Court
Date: May 1, 2009

ESTATE OF RANDY BENNETT FREEMAN, Employee, DEBORAH LYNN FREEMAN,
Fiduciary v. J.L. ROTHROCK, INC., Employer, NORTH AMERICAN
SPECIALTY, Carrier, AEQUICAP CLAIMS SERVICES, INC. (formerly
CLAIMS CONTROL, INC.), Administrator
No. 163A08
FILED: 1 MAY 2009
Workers’ Compensation–employee misrepresentation at hiring–adoption of Larson
test–judicial legislation
The decision of the Court of Appeals in this case that an employee was barred
from receiving workers’ compensation benefits for his injury because of misrepresentations at
the time of his hiring is reversed for the reason stated in the dissenting opinion that the adoption
of the Larson test by the majority opinion in the Court of Appeals constitutes impermissible
judicial legislation.
Appeal pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 7A-30(2) from the
decision of a divided panel of the Court of Appeals, 189 N.C.
App. 31, 657 S.E.2d 389 (2008), reversing an opinion and award
filed 9 November 2006 by the North Carolina Industrial
Commission.  On 11 June 2008, the Supreme Court allowed
plaintiff’s petition for discretionary review of additional
issues.  Heard in the Supreme Court 16 December 2008.
Jay Gervasi, P.A., by Jay A. Gervasi, Jr., for
plaintiff-appellant.
Brooks, Stevens & Pope, P.A., by Joy H. Brewer and
Ginny P. Lanier, for defendant-appellees.
PER CURIAM.
The decision of the Court of Appeals is reversed for
the reasons stated in the dissenting opinion, and the case is
remanded to the Court of Appeals for consideration of the
remaining assignments of error.  Discretionary review was
improvidently allowed as to the additional issues.
REVERSED AND REMANDED; DISCRETIONARY REVIEW
IMPROVIDENTLY ALLOWED.