Charles Hicks

Charles L. Hicks, III enjoys working in partnership with his clients to provide efficient and economical solutions to complex problems.  His dual background in law and business helps him to understand his clients’ legal and business concerns.

He practices in the Risk Management & Workers’ Compensation and the Business Disputes and Litigation Groups of the Raleigh Office of Cranfill Sumner.

His business acumen makes him extremely attuned to clients’ key metrics, including efficient claims resolution and working effectively on alternative fee arrangements.

Workers’ Compensation Defense

In his Workers’ Compensation practice, Charles has defended thousands of workers’ compensation claims, through all phases of the North Carolina workers’ compensation process.

He has extensive experience defending death claims before the North Carolina Industrial Commission (NCIC).  He has become a trusted voice in this arena, regularly writing and presenting on the topic.

Charles has substantial experience investigating and analyzing cases, mediating claims to a successful resolution, conducting depositions, and crafting pleadings and briefs. Charles has served as first chair attorney in dozens of administrative forums, full evidentiary hearings, and appeals before panels of Commissioners.

Charles represents employers in Chapter 97 claims all over the State of North Carolina.

Business Disputes and Litigation

In Charles’ civil litigation practice, he handles construction litigation and commercial collections cases.

In this position Charles shepherds cases through informal negotiations, Alternative Dispute Resolution forums, and all stages of the judicial adversarial process.

He particularly focuses on Chapter 44A statutory liens on real property.  He files, prosecutes, and defends Claims of Lien on behalf of general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers throughout the State of North Carolina. When appropriate he also helps protect payment rights through Notices of Claims of Lien Upon Funds and helps subcontractors with subrogation rights.

Charles has been named among the Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch for the years 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 in the fields of Workers’ Compensation Defense and Construction law. Charles also maintains an AV rating from Martindale Hubbell, which is a peer-review rating system.

*Cases or matters referenced do not represent the attorney’s entire record. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own merits. The outcome of a particular case cannot be predicated upon a lawyer’s or a law firm’s past results.

Articles, Presentations, and Publications

• Presenter, Cranfill Sumner LLP’s 2025 Risk Management & Workers’ Compensation Legal Summit, “Short- and Long-Term Claim Handling Objectives when Denying Compensability” (April 2025)
• Author, “Statutory Timelines for Defendants in North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Claims” (November 2024)
• Author, “Is This Claim Compensable? Elements Required to Prove Compensability for a Back Claim in North Carolina” (November 2024)
• Author, “Elements Required to Prove an Injury by Accident in North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Claims” (November 2024)
• Author, “Recommendations for Best Defense Practices at the Outset of a Workers’ Compensation Claim” (November 2024)
• Author, “Death Claim Series – How Are the Benefits to be Distributed?” (March 2022)
• Author, “Elements Required to Prove an Injury by Accident in North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Claims” (November 2024)
• Author, “Statutory Timelines for Plaintiffs in North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Claims” (November 2024)
• Author, “Statutory Timelines for Defendants in North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Claims” (November 2024)
• Author, “The Court of Appeals Issues a New Opinion on the Requirements for Extended Benefits Beyond 500 Weeks” (July 2024)
• Author, “Death Claim Series – To Whom Are the Benefits Owed?” (February 2022)
• Presenter, “Now What? Early Trends in NC Extended Benefits Cases” (January 2022)
• Author, “Death Claim Series – What Benefits Are Owed?” (December 2021)
• Author, “Death Claim Series – Whether the Accident or Occupational Disease Caused the Resulting Death” (November 2021)
• Author, “Death Claim Series – Whether the Underlying Accident or Occupational Disease is Compensable” (October 2021)
• Presenter, Workers’ Compensation Death Claims Webinar (June 2021)
• Author, “Vested Interest: How Shifts in Interest Rates are Affecting the Value of Workers’ Compensation Death Claims” (May 2020)