§ 97-82.  Memorandum of agreement between employer and employee to be submitted to Commission on prescribed forms for approval; direct payment as award.

(a) If the employer and the injured employee or his dependents reach an agreement in regard to compensation under this Article, they may enter into a memorandum of the agreement in the form prescribed by the Commission.

An agreement, however, shall be incorporated into a memorandum of agreement in regard to compensation: (i) for loss or permanent injury, disfigurement, or permanent and total disability under G.S. 97-31, (ii) for death from a compensable injury or occupational disease under G.S. 97-38, or (iii) when compensation under this Article is paid or payable to an employee who is incompetent or under 18 years of age.

The memorandum of agreement, accompanied by the material medical and vocational records, shall be filed with and approved by the Commission; otherwise such agreement shall be voidable by the employee or his dependents.

(b) If approved by the Commission, a memorandum of agreement shall for all purposes be enforceable by the court's decree as hereinafter specified. Payment pursuant to G.S. 97-18(b), or payment pursuant to G.S. 97-18(d) when compensability and liability are not contested prior to expiration of the period for payment without prejudice, shall constitute an award of the Commission on the question of compensability of and the insurer's liability for the injury as reflected on a form prescribed by the Commission pursuant to G.S. 97-18(b) or G.S. 97-18(d) for which payment was made. An award of the Commission arising out of G.S. 97-18(b) or G.S. 97-18(d) shall not create a presumption that medical treatment for an injury or condition not identified in the form prescribed by the Commission pursuant to G.S. 97-18(b) or G.S. 97-18(d) is causally related to the compensable injury. An employee may request a hearing pursuant to G.S. 97-84 to prove that an injury or condition is causally related to the compensable injury. Compensation paid in these circumstances shall constitute payment of compensation pursuant to an award under this Article. (1929, c. 120, s. 56; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 679, s. 3.2; 2005-448, s. 7; 2017-124, s. 1(a).)