What Does Workers’ Compensation Offer?

Workers’ compensation offers helpful benefits to workers who have fallen ill or sustained injury on the job. If you have been hurt in an accident at work or developed an illness due to a workplace safety hazard, a workers’ comp claim can help you support yourself and treat your condition.

To get the most out of your workers’ compensation claim, reach out to an experienced attorney from a firm in South Carolina. A skilled workers’ compensation lawyer will be able to determine which benefits you’re eligible to receive and demand the compensation you need to make ends meet.

Benefits You Might Receive From a Workers’ Compensation Claim

Injuries and illnesses that limit your ability to work can affect nearly every facet of your life. If you’ve been diagnosed with a serious condition due to an incident or safety issue at work, a workers’ compensation claim can give you access to a wide variety of life-saving benefits, including:

Medical Expenses

One of the most important benefits offered by workers’ compensation insurance is reimbursement for medical expenses. These benefits can cover the cost of any emergency room visits, doctor’s appointments, assistive devices, surgeries, or medications you need to manage your injury.

Ongoing and Future Care Costs

Long-term and permanent workplace injuries may require multiple surgeries and months or even years of medical treatment. Luckily, the money you receive from a workers’ comp claim can cover your ongoing treatment costs and any related medical bills that you incur in the future.

Lost Wages

Losing a week’s worth of pay can prevent you from paying your bills on time and make it hard for you to put food on the table. A successful workers’ compensation claim can replace a portion of the wages you miss while attending appointments and recuperating from your injury.

Reduced Earning Capacity

If you’ve suffered an injury that’s projected to affect your ability to earn money for a long period of time, pursuing a workers’ comp claim is crucial to your survival. The money you receive from a claim can make up for your reduced earning capacity so that you can support yourself and your family.

Death Benefits

If your spouse or a family member has passed away due to an illness or injury sustained in the workplace, we sincerely apologize for your loss. Experiencing the loss of a loved one can be extremely difficult, but the money you receive from a workers’ comp claim can help you stay comfortable and financially stable during the grieving process.

You may receive two-thirds of your loved one’s average weekly wage for as long as 500 weeks. Death benefits can also pay up to $12,000 in burial and funeral benefits. An experienced workers’ comp attorney can do the heavy lifting, so you can get the death benefits your family needs to mourn with little interruption.

Additional Benefits

In South Carolina, workers’ compensation insurance policies may also offer benefits for partial disability, permanent disability, and bodily disfigurement. You may also receive compensation to help you pay for transportation to and from medical appointments.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Workers’ Compensation Claim

There are a few measures and actions you can take to ensure you get access to everything that your employer’s workers’ compensation policy has to offer. Here’s what you can do to get the most out of your claim:

Alert Your Employer ASAP

According to the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission (SCWCC), injured workers are required to file a report with their employers no later than 90 days after their accident or the initial discovery of their injury.

Failure to comply with the 90-day deadline will make pursuing workers’ comp benefits extremely difficult. In some instances, it may even bar you from receiving the compensation you need to recuperate your financial losses and treat your injuries.

See an Approved Medical Provider

Most workers’ compensation insurance policies have a list of approved medical providers. If you’ve been injured on the job, refer to the list of approved providers before you seek medical treatment. If you receive care from an unapproved provider, your employer’s insurance company will most likely deny your claim.

Familiarize Yourself With Deadlines

Learning about the deadlines that apply to your workers’ compensation case can help you stay compliant throughout the claim-filing process. S.C. Code of Laws § 42-15-40 states that injured workers like yourself have two years from the date of your accident or the discovery of your injury to file a claim.

If your claim is denied, your last resort will be to file a personal injury lawsuit against your employer or a third party. Such lawsuits must be filed no later than three years after the accident or discovery of an injury. Failure to follow the deadlines that apply to your claim or lawsuit will jeopardize your case.

Hire a Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Securing all the workers’ compensation benefits your employer’s insurer offers can be incredibly challenging without the help of an experienced lawyer. If you choose to file a claim by yourself, you’ll likely make a minor mistake that results in your claim being denied.

An attorney can ensure that your claim is filed correctly and in compliance with state and federal law. A lawyer can also help you appeal a denied claim and negotiate with insurers to get the highest payment possible.

Your lawyer will answer any questions you have and represent your best interests throughout the entirety of the claim-filing process. They’ll fight tooth and nail to get the benefits you need to pay your medical bills, cope with your injuries, and financially support yourself.

Contact a South Carolina workers’ compensation attorney at Miller, Dawson, Sigal & Ward to find out what we can do for you.