Suffering from a workplace injury is hard enough, but it can be made even more stressful if you are also worried about how the injury will affect your personal and financial security. You should take some relief in knowing that South Carolina’s workers’ compensation laws allow you to receive benefits to help with the medical bills, loss of income and other difficulties resulting from your on-the-job injury.
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to obtain the workers’ comp benefits you deserve. Even though you are entitled to benefits by law, employers and their insurance companies may deny or dispute your claim for workers’ comp to save money.
Don’t let them get away with it.
Call the experienced Manning workplace accident attorneys at Land Parker Welch LLC for help with your workers’ compensation claim at (803) 435-8894 or use our online contact form for a free consultation.
Our South Carolina accident lawyers have more than 120 years of combined experience. We can also help families receive death benefits if they have tragically lost a loved one in a workplace accident.
Located in Manning, our law firm prides itself on treating its clients like family. When you call Land Parker Welch LLC you won’t be talking to an automated service. You’ll get to speak directly with a workplace injury lawyer who can help you with your case from start to finish.
What Do I Do If I Get Injured On The Job in In South Carolina?
If you’ve been injured at work, your first priority is to get medical treatment as soon as the symptoms become apparent. Sometimes those injuries are easy to see, such as a sprained ankle. But other times injuries take time to cause trouble for workers. A good example of that type of injury is carpal tunnel syndrome.
Your next step is to report your injury to your employer. It is important to notify your employer within 90 days of the injury or you risk losing your rights to workers’ compensation. However, you do have two years to file a claim to receive workers’ comp benefits after that report is made. If you failed to make a report within the 90-day window, you should contact a workplace accident attorney at Land Parker Welch LLC to learn about what options may be available to you.
It is not your responsibility to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. Your employer should report the injury to its own insurance company and the S.C. Workers’ Compensation Commission. However, if the employer does not make the report, denies your injury or you think you didn’t get the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve, you can personally file a claim with the S.C. Workers’ Compensation Commission. Learn more about how to file a claim.
What Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits Can I Receive?
In general, all employees who qualify for workers’ compensation benefits in South Carolina can receive money to pay for the cost of medical care, lost earnings and partial or total disability. In the event of a fatal injury, the worker’s spouse or other dependents may also be entitled to death benefits.
Medical benefits may include payment for a variety of expenses, including:
- Medical bills;
- Hospitalizations;
- Rehabilitation;
- Mileage or public transportation costs incurred in order to go to doctor’s appointments;
- Lodging, if your medical treatment was necessary in a location far from home;
- Costs of prescriptions.
If your doctor determines that your injuries are serious enough to require more than seven days of missed work, you will also be entitled to financial benefits to help cover the wages you lost as a result of the injury.
Monetary workers’ compensation benefits available to you under South Carolina law include:
- Two thirds of your average weekly wage, capped at 100 percent of the state’s average weekly wage. For 2011, the maximum is $704.92.
- If your injury keeps you out of work for 7 days or more, you are entitled to receive compensation from the date that your doctor approved you to receive workers’ comp.
- In the event that you are declared totally disabled (completely unable to work), you can receive up to 500 weeks of compensation at 66.66% of your average weekly wage.
- There is no limit on disability benefits if you sustain a lifetime disability such as paraplegia, quadriplegia or a traumatic brain injury.
If you are the family member of a worker who was killed on the job, you may also be able to collect death benefits. You are entitled to 500 weeks of compensation at the rate of two thirds of the employee’s weekly wages and coverage for medical bills and funeral expenses.
Why Won’t My Employer Or Their Insurer Pay?
Unfortunately, some employers and insurance companies deny or dispute a worker’s claim for benefits. The bottom line is that insurers want to save money, and they will look for places to pick apart your workers’ compensation claim very carefully. Oftentimes the injured employee is not equipped with the knowledge of how to handle the disputes or how to ask for a hearing from the S.C. Workers’ Compensation Commission. It is worthwhile to check with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney if you feel like you’re being treated unfairly and not getting the benefits that you deserve under South Carolina law.
Contact Our South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Benefits Lawyers Today
The S.C. workplace injury attorneys at Land Parker Welch LLC are dedicated to providing professional and ethical service to clients with workers’ compensation claims. Our S.C. firm will provide sensitive representation as you recuperate from your injuries.
We’re here to help. Call (803) 435-8894 or use our online contact form for a free consultation.
