Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Charleston, South Carolina
If you were hurt at your place of employment, financial help is available. Suffering from a workplace injury could mean you are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits through your employer, and our workers’ comp attorney in Charleston, South Carolina is here to advocate for you during the claims process. When you hire Anastopoulo Law Firm, we will help you apply for the benefits you are entitled to or navigate the appeals process after an application denial.
We will help you with the entire process, including gathering information and documents to prove how and where your injury occurred. Our team also ensures you understand the workers’ compensation benefits you qualify for, including medical care, until you reach maximum medical improvement and financial benefits to compensate you for lost wages. We start with a free consultation.
What you need to know about South Carolina’s workers’ compensation system
The South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act helps workers injured on the job by providing them with medical treatment and income replacement. It benefits employees who suffer from:
- A temporarily or permanently disabling physical injury
- A temporarily or permanently disabling illness or disease
Our Charleston workers’ comp lawyer can help you complete a claim with the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC) so you can seek benefits and support under this law. We will also ensure that you report your injury and file on time.
Deadlines for workers’ compensation claims in Charleston, SC
In Charleston, you must apply for benefits no later than two years from the date of your injury, according to S.C. Ann. § 42-15-20. Since missing the two-year deadline could mean you forfeit your right to compensation, we make sure the deadline is met.
In fact, we make sure you meet all mandatory filing deadlines, including notifying your employer of your injury or illness within 30 days and receiving timely medical care.
Notifying your employer is the first step in the application process. Your employer must then report your situation to their insurance provider. This reporting lets the SC/WCC begin paying the financial portion of your case.
You might be responsible for filing your own claim
When handled correctly, your employer should report your injury or illness to their insurer. If that does not happen in a timely fashion—or at all—you can file directly without your employer. Our workers’ compensation lawyer in Charleston, SC, can help you file directly, which you might also need to do if:
- There is a discrepancy in anticipated benefits and amounts.
- Your employer disputes the cause of your injury or illness.
Generally, injured workers are entitled to 66 2/3 percent of their average weekly wages. The average is calculated using your wages from the year preceding your injury or diagnosis.
Note that the first week does not count as compensable time unless you are unable to work for an extended period. Your benefit amount could also vary depending on the severity of your injury and whether or not you were left with permanently disfiguring scars or a lifelong disability.
For a free legal consultation with a Personal Injury lawyer serving Charleston, call 803-222-2222
Frequently reported on-the-job injuries
Injuries suffered at work range from minor to serious to catastrophic. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) research and statistics cite the following injuries as the most commonly reported:
- Accidental falls
- Workplace violence
- Being struck by objects
- Repetitive motion injuries
- Injuries from overexertion
- Punctures, burns, and scrapes
The agency’s research covers public, private, and government employees. How you got hurt at work is important, so our workers’ compensation team will help you document the cause of your injury. This step is always critical, but it takes on added importance if your employer disputes the claim.
Injuries that may qualify for medical and financial benefits
Workers’ compensation provides two types of benefits for injured workers—medical care to treat your illness or injury and partial wage replacement for the weeks you cannot work.
Our workers’ comp lawyer in Charleston, SC, will review your injuries and their effects on your life to ensure you receive the correct amount of benefits. Injuries and illnesses that may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits include:
- Burns and scarring
- Work-related stroke
- Head and neck trauma
- Back and spine injuries
- Muscle or tendon injuries
- Repetitive motion injuries
- Bone breaks and fractures
- Work-related heart disease
- Work-related psychological disorders
You may also qualify for benefits if you were diagnosed with a work-related illness from exposure to toxic chemicals or substances.
Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me 803-222-2222
How your level of disability is determined and classified
South Carolina has a specific set of laws that determine how your disability is quantified. S.C. Ann. § 42-9-30 also defines what percentage of your average weekly income you will receive and how long you can receive it. Your disability will fall into one of the following categories:
- Temporary Total Disability: Your disability prevents you from doing any work—including duties you performed prior to the injury—until you recover.
- Temporary Partial Disability: Your disability stops you from working at full capacity, but you will be able to perform your regular duties once your recovery is complete.
- Permanent Partial Disability: You can still do some, but not all, of the job you did before getting hurt.
- Permanent Total Disability: Your injury prevents you from working now and you are not expected to recover enough to go back to work at any point.
Our Anastopoulo Law Firm team will help make sure your medical records accurately depict the nature and extent of your disability. Doing so will ensure you get the right disability rating and the corresponding benefits.
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Let our workers’ comp attorney near Charleston SC help you
If you were hurt at work, we can help you apply for benefits, meet required reporting and filing deadlines, and understand the range of benefits you are due. Our lawyers can also help you appeal a denied application. Find out how and learn more about working with us by calling one of our Anastopoulo Law Firm team members at (800) 313-2546 today.
Call or text 803-222-2222 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
