Georgetown Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Any job can be dangerous and cause an injury. That’s why most employers in South Carolina offer a workers’ compensation program. Yet the offers of compensation in the event of a work-related injury can often be too low for your true needs. Additionally, some claims get denied when they shouldn’t.

If you’re hurt on the job, speak with one of our Georgetown workers’ compensation attorneys. Miller, Dawson, Sigal & Ward Injury Lawyers know how to work with these insurers to get your case its true worth. We also know the tricks employers try to pull to get out of paying the full value of a claim.

Understanding Your Workers’ Compensation Responsibilities

In order to claim workers’ compensation under South Carolina law, you will need to fulfill a few responsibilities and avoid common claim mistakes. The most important is reporting your injury to your employer in a timely manner. You must inform your employer of your damages within 90 days of the incident.

After your report, you have two years to file a workers’ compensation claim per South Carolina’s statute of limitations. If you breach these deadlines, you might be denied coverage and have to cover the costs of your injuries on your own.

The Benefits of Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Workers’ compensation insurance is required for most businesses in every state except for Texas. The reason for this requirement is that workers’ comp benefits both employers and employees. Additionally, workers’ comp can help ease the burden on the court by significantly reducing the number of lawsuits that get filed each year.

For employers, workers’ compensation provides protection against lawsuits. Without workers’ comp insurance, a small business could go bankrupt from a single employee injury lawsuit. Meanwhile, a large company working in a dangerous field could constantly face a whole stack of lawsuits.

Employees also benefit in that workers’ compensation typically offers a relatively quick and easy path to getting the money you need after a workplace accident. In most cases, as long as you follow the simple steps for making a claim, you won’t have to fight to recover the money you need.

Can I Be Fired for Making a Workers’ Compensation Claim?

South Carolina is an at-will employment state, which means your employer can fire you at any time. However, they cannot fire you for any reason. It is illegal to fire someone for making a workers’ compensation claim or for being unable to work due to an injury or illness.

Yet some employers will start seeking any excuse to fire someone who is injured or sick and files a claim. If you believe you were fired for a false reason, you need to speak with one of our Georgetown workers’ compensation attorneys right away.

Will I Need to Sue My Employer?

In almost all cases, you will not need to sue your employer to get a workers’ compensation claim. It will all go through their insurer instead. In fact, in most situations, the availability of workers’ comp will prevent you from being able to file a lawsuit. That being said, if a third party was involved, you may be able to sue them.

For example, if you were driving a company vehicle and someone ran into you, you could get workers’ compensation and sue the other driver’s insurance. One of our attorneys can tell you if there are other parties to sue in your situation.

Do I Need to Hire a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?

Most people choose to file their initial claim without the help of a workers’ compensation attorney. This is usually not a problem, as most workers’ comp claims go relatively smoothly. However, if your initial claim gets denied, hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer can be essential when filing an appeal.

You may also choose to hire a workers’ compensation attorney from the start. When the insurance company sees that you already have legal counsel, they are less likely to deny your initial claim since they know you will certainly fight an unfavorable decision. The potential cost of defending against your appeal may make denying your claim not worth it, from their perspective.

What Damages Can I Receive from a Georgetown Workers’ Compensation Claim?

There are three main kinds of workers’ compensation you could receive as part of your claim. Most commonly, you’ll receive lost wages and medical bill compensation. In cases of severe injury, you may also qualify for temporary or permanent disability.

The Thumbs Up Guys can review the specifics of your case to determine the full value of your claim. Our Georgetown workers’ compensation lawyers will then fight for every penny.

Seek a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Georgetown

Even if you’re on good terms with your employer, we encourage you to speak with a Georgetown workers’ compensation lawyer if you’re hurt on the job. Your employer’s insurance company will have no love for you and will take steps to reduce your claim amount if they can.

Get the compensation amount you truly deserve so that you can get back to work by connecting with the workers’ compensation legal team at Miller, Dawson, Sigal & Ward Injury Lawyers. Contact us by phone or by using our online form. We’ll be happy to schedule a time for you to speak with our team as part of a free case review.