Jennifer Morris Jones

Jennifer Morris Jones is a Partner in the firm’s Raleigh office and is a member of the Risk Management & Workers’ Compensation Practice Group. In 2020, she was elected to serve on the firm’s Management Committee for CSH Law. She serves on the firm’s COVID-19 Response Team.

Jennifer is a North Carolina Board Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist. She has been appointed to the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Law Specialty Committee.

Jennifer enjoys collaborating with her clients to develop innovative strategies to resolve workers’ compensation claims. With her clients’ business interests in mind, Jennifer strives to achieve positive and cost-effective resolutions to workers’ compensation disputes. To achieve those goals, Jennifer counsels clients in resolving claims through a strategic motion practice, when appropriate. Such motions may include Form 24 Applications and Motions to Compel discovery responses, compliance with medical treatment, and compliance with vocational rehabilitation.

Jennifer has experience in handling all aspects of the process including claims investigation, witness interviews, motions, mediations, hearings, appeals, and medical depositions. She also has handled appeals from the Deputy Commissioner level to the Full Commission, as well as from the Full Commission level to the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the North Carolina Supreme Court.

In 2018, Jennifer was appointed to serve as an Advisory Board member for the National Workers’ Compensation Review, presenting at the WCI Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida. Jennifer serves as Steering Committee Member for the Workers’ Compensation Defense Institute (WCDI). She coordinates the “Friday Foundations” Webinar Series, where members of the WCDI discuss hot topics and new developments/legislative updates within the national workers’ compensation industry. She serves as an instructor of the multi-state portion of the WCI Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Jennifer is actively involved in DRI, a leading organization of civil defense attorneys and in-house counsel. She served a two-year appointment as Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Committee for DRI, after serving as Vice Chair for a two-year term. In addition, she also served as Chair of the Technology Subcommittee of the Women in the Law Committee, after serving as Vice Chair, and she also served as the Workers’ Compensation Committee Liaison for the Women in the Law Committee for DRI. Jennifer previously served as the Online Community Page and Social Medial Chair for DRI Workers’ Compensation Committee.

Jennifer is a Premium Member of Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), an industry organization dedicated to meeting the professional development needs of the claims and litigation management industries.  She is also a Certified Litigation Management Professional (CLMP), 2020, a designation from Litigation Management Institute (LMI) offered by CLM.

Jennifer is a member of the Planning Committee for the Triangle, NC Chapter of the Alliance of Women in Workers’ Compensation (AWWC). The AWWC is a national organization of engaged female leaders committed to discussing challenges and emerging trends in the Workers’ Compensation industry.

Jennifer maintains an AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell, a prestigious peer review rating that recognizes attorneys who have reached high levels of skill and integrity. She was selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America ® 2016-2022 for Workers’ Compensation – Employers, as well as the Best Lawyers Business Edition 2016-2019 Women in the Law list, and the 2014 and 2015 North Carolina Rising Stars® lists for Workers’ Compensation. In 2022, Jennifer was awarded the WorkCompCentral Comp Laude® Award for the Defense Attorney category. She was selected for the 2022 Workers’ Compensation Power List by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly. Jennifer was also named a winner of the 2023 Triangle Business Journal’s Women in Business Awards.

In 2015, Jennifer was chosen to join the Emerging Leaders program presented by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce. She graduated as part of the 31st class of Leadership Raleigh presented by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.

Jennifer regularly speaks on the state, regional, and national stages for clients and at industry seminars. Her recent speaking engagements include:

• 2022 WorkCompCentral Comp Laude Awards and Gala, Keynote Panel Discussion entitled “Tough Conversations About Comp” in Huntington Beach, CA.
• 2022 Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation Annual Education Conference, Panel Discussion entitled “Same Sport- Different Rules?  A One-on-One Guide to Practicing Workers’ Compensation in Our Neighboring Jurisdictions” in Atlanta, GA.
• 2022 WCI Conference, Panel Discussion entitled “Women Trail Blazers and Ceiling Breakers: LEAD During Uncertainty to Overcome Challenges Facing Our Industry” in Orlando, FL.
• 2022 WCI Conference, Panel Discussion, “CSI: Orlando Special Claims Investigation” in Orlando, FL.
• 2022 Workers’ Compensation Defense Institute (WCDI) Webinar, Presentation “Cracking the Case in Your State.”
• 2022 Cranfill Conversations, Discussion “Defending Against Extended Compensation in NC Workers’ Compensation Claims: Deep Dive Into the Full Commission’s Recent Decision in Betts v. NC DHHS – Cherry Hospital.”
• 2021 WCI Conference, Panel Discussion entitled “Women Trail Blazers and Ceiling Breakers:  Collaboration and Innovation for the Betterment of Our industry and All Served By It” in Orlando, FL.
• 2021 CLM Annual Conference, Panel Discussion entitled “Work Comp Claims and Litigation Management in the Age of Technology” in Atlanta, GA.
• 2021 CLM Workers’ Compensation and Retail, Restaurant & Hospitality Conference, Virtual Panel Discussion, “Workers’ Compensation Claims and Litigation Management in the Age of Technology.”
• 2021 Workers’ Compensation Defense Institute (WCDI) Webinar, Presentation “Tips from the Trenches.”
• 2021 Workers’ Compensation Defense Institute (WCDI) Webinar, Presentation “COVID Claims, Compensability and Vaccines, Oh My!”
• 2020 Juge, Napolitano, Guilbeau, Ruli & Frieman’s Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Dallas Seminar, Panel Discussion entitled, “Multi-State Handling of Workers’ Compensation Claims- Multi-Tasking: Advice for Adjusters Handling Claims in Multiple States.”
• 2020 Virtual WCI Conference, Panel Discussion entitled “WCDI:  A Multi-State Analysis of Common Compensability Issues Confronting Workers’ Compensation Claim Handlers.”
• 2020 CLM Workers’ Compensation and Retail, Restaurant & Hospitality Conference, Virtual Panel Discussion, “Age of Technology – Managing Workers’ Compensation Claims and Litigation Today.”
• 2020 Workers’ Compensation Defense Institute (WCDI) Webinar, Presentation “WCDI Answers Your Coronavirus Claims Questions, Part II.”
• 2020 Cranfill Sumner Webinar, Presentation “Navigating the Devil’s Triangle:  Managing Claims under the ADA, FMLA, and NC Workers’ Compensation Act.”
• 2020 Workers’ Compensation Defense Institute (WCDI) Webinar, Presentation “WCDI Answers Your Coronavirus Claims Questions.”
• 2020 Cranfill Sumner Webinar, Presentation “Medicare & MSA Workers’ Compensation Update:  Current Issues & Settlement Strategies for Starting the New Year off on the Right Foot” with Mark Popolizio, ISO Claims Partners.
• 2019 Cranfill Sumner Fall Seminar, Presentation entitled “425 Weeks Out: What’s Next for North Carolina’s Limitation on Indemnity Benefits?” in Raleigh, NC.
• 2019 Juge, Napolitano, Guilbeau, Ruli & Frieman’s Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Dallas Seminar, Panel Discussion entitled, “Multi-State Handling of Workers’ Compensation Claims- Multi-Tasking: Advice for Adjusters Handling Claims in Multiple States.”
• 2019 WorkCompCentral National Webinar, Presentation entitled “425 Weeks out: What’s Next for North Carolina’s Limitation on Indemnity Benefits?”
• 2019 Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation Annual Education Conference, Panel Discussion entitled “…And Justice for All” in Alpharetta, GA.
• 2019 WCI Conference, Panel Discussion entitled “Women Trailblazers and Ceiling Breakers in Workers’ Compensation” in Orlando, FL.
• 2019 CLM Workers’ Compensation Conference, Panel Discussion entitled “Workers’ Comp in the Age of Technology” in Chicago, IL.
• 2018 WCI Conference, Panel Discussion entitled “New Waves in Medical Treatment: Perspectives on Challenges and Out-Of-The-Box Approaches to Management of Opioids, Marijuana, and Telemedicine in Workers’ Compensation Claims” in Orlando, FL.
• 2018 North Carolina Association of Self-Insurers Conference, Presentation entitled “How to Handle and Investigate Claims Involving Idiopathic Conditions” in Wrightsville Beach, NC.
• 2017 Cranfill Sumner Fall Seminar, Presentation entitled “How to Handle and Investigate Claims Involving Idiopathic Conditions” in Raleigh, NC.
• 2016 Cranfill Sumner Seminar, Presentation entitled “Cost Containment: Tips and Tricks for Utilizing Social Media for Investigating and Defending Workers’ Compensation Claims” in Raleigh, NC.
• 2016 North Carolina Association of Self-Insurers Conference, Presentation entitled “Cutting Costs in Workers’ Comp: New Thoughts on an Old Nemesis” in Wrightsville Beach, NC.
• 2015 Inaugural DRI Workers’ Compensation Regional Seminar, Panel Discussion entitled “Compensability: We Really Aren’t All the Same!” in Atlanta, GA.
• 2015 DRI Annual Meeting, Panel Discussion entitled “Settlement of Medicare Eligible Workers’ Compensation Claims: Pitfalls and Practice Pointers” in Washington, DC.
• 2014 Cranfill Sumner Fall Seminar, Presentation entitled “Cost Containment Strategy: Utilizing the Misrepresentation Defense (N.C.G.S. §97-12.1)” in Raleigh, NC.

Representative Matters

Cases or matters referenced do not represent the lawyer’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.

• Represented an employer and carrier to achieve a favorable Court of Appeals decision involving Statute of Limitations defenses, complex medical issues, and causation questions. Specifically, the Court of Appeals held the employee’s request for a second opinion evaluation on the permanent partial disability rating more than two years after the last payment of medical expenses was time barred.  The Court of Appeals affirmed the Full Commission’s determination that the employee failed to prove by the greater weight of the evidence that the alleged work accident aggravated a pre-existing condition.

• Successfully represented a self-insured employer to achieve a favorable Full Commission decision wherein the Full Commission determined the employee unjustifiably refused to return to suitable employment.  Specifically, the Full Commission determined the light-duty position was a real, non-modified position and was suitable based on the employee’s restrictions, wages, shift and opportunity for advancement.   The Full Commission determined the employee had not carried his burden of proving disability and was not entitled to any indemnity benefits.