North Carolina is proactively settling workers’ compensation claims that will result in more than $24 million in cost savings.  “We owe it to the people of North Carolina to be good stewards of their tax dollars,” said Governor McCrory. To facilitate the settlement of these claims, a $2 million Workers’ Compensation Settlement Reserve Fund was created to augment settlement funding available from individual agencies.  So far, seven claims have been approved by the Industrial Commission and paid in full. By closing just these seven claims, the state has achieved nearly $5 million in future cost avoidance. By increasing oversight and enhancing the claims management process, the State of North Carolina has succeeded in reducing the payout for workers’ compensation claims.