What Compensation Does South Carolina Law Provide for Injured Workers?
Employers with four or more full-time em ployees in South Carolina must cover their staff with workers’ compensation insurance. This insurance coverage is available to help people who suffer injuries at work to receive financial benefits. These benefits can cover expenses such as:
- Medical bills, including physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Lost wages
- Loss of future employment prospects
Under the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Code, an injured worker is typically entitled to temporary total compensation (which is a weekly check that equals two-thirds of his or her average weekly wage). They are also entitled to medical care; however, the insurance carrier gets to choose the worker’s doctor. Once an injured worker has reached “maximum medical improvement,” they are released from medical care and ultimately their case is either settled or goes to a hearing. Maximum medical improvement refers to the point in a person’s treatment when further medical interventions will not continue to improve their health and wellness; for example, if the person recovers fully or if they reach a stable point in the healing process.
I Was Injured at Work in South Carolina — What Should I Do?
If you have been injured at work, it’s extremely important for you to seek medical assistance as soon as possible. Only a medical professional can properly diagnose the extent of your injuries and prescribe the correct treatment. You should also ensure that your employer reports the injury to its workers’ compensation insurance carrier right away. This is because you will also need to receive a follow-up examination and subsequent treatment from a physician who is pre-authorized by the workers’ compensation insurer. 
Why Hire a Workers’ Compensation Attorney?
Workers’ compensation cases are often more complex than they appear at first glance. Employers and their insurance companies are often reluctant to cooperate with injured employees and provide them with the medical attention they need — until they find out that the employee is represented by an attorney. The insurance company in your case may try to avoid compensating you by telling you that workers’ compensation coverage does not apply due to the circumstances surrounding your workplace injury. In these cases, the Law Offices of David L. Hood (along with co-counsel) have the resources to investigate your accident and pursue legal remedies that will defend against the insurance company’s tactics. When you choose our firm to handle your workers’ compensation claim, we’ll find out who the workers’ compensation insurance company is, contact them promptly, and insist that a claim be set up and medical treatment be authorized right away. If your injuries have left you unable to work, we can fight to get your temporary disability payments started. And if the insurance company is uncooperative, we can file a Form 50, which requests a hearing with the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC) to get your claim accepted, your medical treatment paid for, and your temporary disability benefits underway.
David L. Hood: Fighting for Injured Workers in North Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, Georgetown, and Throughout South Carolina
To learn more about your rights as an injured worker and receive the care and attention your workers’ compensation case deserves, contact the Law Offices of David L. Hood, a South Carolina workers’ compensation law firm with years of experience representing injured workers. We handle all cases on a contingent fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win your case or negotiate a successful settlement.* Call our offices at (843) 491-6025 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your free consultation with us today. *Clients are not liable for any expenses, unless there is a recovery in their case; however, if there is a recovery in their case, clients will be liable for expenses. Attorney’s fees are based on a percentage of the recovery, which will be computed before deducting expenses.