West v. Hoyle's Tire & Axle, LLC

Summary

The North Carolina Supreme Court affirmed the Industrial Commission’s dismissal of Shannon Stocks’s claim for death benefits, holding that she is not a dependent under N.C.G.S. § 97‑39 because she lacks a legally recognized relationship with the deceased employee. The Court relied on its longstanding precedent in Fields and related cases that limit dependency to persons with a legal or moral obligation of support.