Worker’s Compensation Law: What are Your Rights Under Worker’s Compensation in South Carolina?

Worker’s Compensation is an insurance program that protects workers if they get injured on the job. Most employers are required to have worker’s compensation, and if your employer is denying that you have the right to make a worker’s compensation claim, you may want to speak to the qualified claims lawyer at the Hayes Law Firm Upstate Attorneys, LLC, today. Our firm can review your case, help you appeal a denied claim, or assist you with making a claim if your employer is denying that you have the right to make a worker’s compensation claim. Our firm can also assess whether you work in an exempt field and whether your employer is exempt from providing worker’s compensation. (If your employer is exempt, you may be entitled to seek damages through a lawsuit.)

The benefits of having access to Worker’s Compensation is that the insurance will cover medical expenses, a percentage of your lost wages, and other costs. However, if you are entitled to make a Worker’s Compensation claim, you won’t be permitted to file a lawsuit. In many cases Worker’s Compensation claims go smoothly and workers get the medical care they need and deserve. However, sometimes claims get denied or delayed. What are your rights under South Carolina’s Worker’s Compensation program? According to the South Carolina Bar, here are some key things you should know:

• If you are entitled to make a Worker’s Compensation claim, the insurance should cover your medical bills, lost wages (up to a certain percentage of your lost wages), and disability. You may also qualify to receive money to cover your vocational retraining if you need to work in another field due to your injury. Finally, travel expenses to and from the doctor may also be covered.
• You may have to use a doctor your employer selects, but if you don’t like this doctor, your employer must provide a list of in-network doctors to choose from.
• When you get injured at work, you should report your injury to your employer as soon as possible.
• Most injuries that individuals can suffer on the job are covered. However, there may be certain exceptions for stress, mental injury, heart attacks, strokes, or embolism. If you have suffered any of these injuries, you would need to show that these conditions were the direct result of another physical injury on the job.
• You have the right to appeal a denied claim.

If you face difficulty with your Worker’s Compensation claim during any stage of the process, you may want to speak to a worker’s compensation lawyer like the Hayes Law Firm Upstate Attorneys, LLC, in Greenville, South Carolina. Suffering an injury on the job can be stressful. You may be struggling to support your family while also wondering how you’ll pay medical bills. Fortunately, Worker’s Compensation may be there for you.

Filing a Worker’s Compensation Claim

If you have been injured on the job or if there was an accident at the workplace, your first step should always be to make sure you and your co-workers are safe and getting proper medical treatment. But, once you have received emergency attention, there are steps you may need to take in order to receive protection under Worker’s Compensation insurance. What are they?

• Report your injury to your employer right away. You have 90 days to report the injury and up to two years to make a Worker’s Compensation insurance claim.
• Your employer can file a claim on your behalf, but if your employer doesn’t file a claim, you have the right to file Form 50 or Form 52 yourself to the South Carolina Worker’s Compensation Commission Claims Department.
• Your employer may provide you with a list of in-network doctors, though you are entitled to seek emergency medical care if you need it.
• If you do not like the doctor your employer recommends, you have the right to ask for another doctor.
• If your Worker’s Compensation claim gets denied, you have the right to appeal the denied claim.

Hayes Law Firm Upstate Attorneys, LLC, are Worker’s Compensation lawyers in Greenville, South Carolina who can help you navigate the claims process when things go wrong. If your claim has been denied, or if your employer is saying you don’t have the right to make a Worker’s Compensation claim, you may want to speak to an attorney. If your claim is being delayed or you have yet to receive your benefits, you may want to speak to the Hayes Law Firm Upstate Attorneys, LLC,today.

Protecting Worker’s Rights

The Hayes Law Firm Upstate Attorneys is committed to protecting worker’s rights. Let our attorneys fight for you if you have been hurt on the job. You may have a range of options available to you. Contact us today. Remember, you may only have a limited amount of time to make a claim under the law.