Longs Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Longs Workers’ Compensation Attorney

The workers’ compensation system in South Carolina exists to protect employees from the financial impact of an injury or condition that was caused in the workplace. By filing for workers’ comp, employees can cover medical costs, lost income, and lost earning capacity. They can also receive disability benefits. Under state law, any employer who employs more than 4 workers is required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. This insurance also protects employers by preventing employees from suing them in most situations when they are injured.

The process of an employee obtaining compensation to cover their financial losses should be simple. Unfortunately, there are some cases where an employer or their insurance provider tries to prevent a claim. An employer may want to avoid the premium increase on their insurance and retaliate against an employee for filing a claim, or they may say that the injury is not work-related. An insurance provider’s goal is usually to provide an employee with as little compensation as possible. An employee should understand their rights in a workers’ compensation claim and how a workers’ compensation attorney can help defend those rights.

Axelrod & Associates: Your Longs Workers’ Compensation Attorneys

Employees in Longs, SC deserve a safe workplace, and if you suffered an injury from an accident or a developmental condition, you deserve compensation. The team at Axelrod & Associates has more than 100 years of combined experience across various fields of law, and we want to use that experience to help employees in our community get the compensation they need. We are proud to provide legal support to our community in Longs and the surrounding area.

After a workplace injury, you are likely suffering many financial losses. Our attorneys want to help you recover those losses to cover hospital bills, transportation costs, lost income, and any other expenses that were caused by your injury. We can help you maximize the compensation available to you and walk you through each step in the process. Whether your workers’ compensation claim is straightforward or you are facing retaliation and other illegal actions, we can help protect your rights.

What Damages Are Covered by a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Longs?

When you file for workers’ compensation benefits, it may provide benefits for:

• Medical costs resulting from your conditions, such as hospital stays, doctor’s appointments, transportation to the hospital, surgeries, medication, and physical therapy
• Lost income during recovery
• Any lost earning capacity due to disability
• Rehabilitation or retraining for new employment
• Permanent or temporary disability benefits
• Death benefits if a loved one was killed due to their injuries or condition sustained at work

Many employees filing for workers’ compensation don’t know the scope of the damages that they qualify for. The benefits should cover your current financial losses and any others that you can reasonably assume you will have in the future. An attorney is invaluable in calculating a reasonable amount.

Types of Disability Benefits

For an employee to earn disability benefits, their injury, illness, or condition must prevent them from:

• Doing their job at all or to the same extent they could previously
• Finding gainful employment in the same or similar field
• Participating in their daily life and normal activities

The disability benefits you get in a workers’ compensation claim depend on several factors. This includes how long you are deemed unable to return to work by medical professionals and how serious your injury is considered to be.

• Temporary partial disability benefits. If you are deemed able to return to work on reduced hours or reduced job duties, you can receive these benefits. They continue until you are no longer receiving partial pay.
• Temporary total disability benefits. If you are considered unable to return to work, these benefits continue until you have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI), according to your healthcare professional.
• Permanent partial disability benefits. When you have reached your MMI, you can receive these benefits.
• Permanent total disability benefits. If you suffer a total and permanent disability, you can receive these benefits for 10 to 500 weeks, depending on your injury’s severity.

Workers Compensation Lawyer FAQs

Q: How Long Does It Take to Get a Workers’ Comp Settlement Check in South Carolina?

A: Once a settlement has been reached in a workers’ compensation claim in South Carolina, it generally takes 1 to 2 months for you to receive the first settlement check. The settlement itself can take 12 to 18 months from filing your first claim to receiving a check for your settlement. The length of time a settlement takes to reach depends on:

• The severity of your injuries
• The amount of financial damages that need to be compensated
• Whether your workers’ comp case goes to trial
• If you have an attorney to speed up the process

Q: Do I Need a Lawyer for a Workers’ Compensation Case in South Carolina?

A: An attorney isn’t required to file for workers’ compensation. However, they can make the process much easier for you, and allow you to rest and recover. Your attorney can negotiate with your employer’s insurance provider on your behalf. Because a workers’ compensation attorney has handled cases like yours, they are better equipped to calculate the damages available to you and can fight for those damages during negotiations and into litigation if necessary. Working with an attorney is the most effective way to increase the financial compensation in your claim.

Q: How Is a Workers’ Comp Settlement Calculated in South Carolina?

A: The amount you receive in a workers’ compensation settlement is directly dependent on the severity of the injury and the costs that you suffered from the condition or injury. It relies on:

• Your injury or condition’s severity
• Whether you are permanently disabled
• Your income prior to the injury
• The amount of work that you missed during recovery
• Lost future earning capacity
• Any current and future medical costs from the injury or condition

Q: How Long Can You Stay on Workers’ Comp in South Carolina?

A: Disability benefits for lost wages in South Carolina could last up to 500 weeks, depending on which type of benefits you qualify for. 500 weeks is the maximum cap and will not apply to every, or even most, workers’ compensation cases. The amount of time you receive benefits will depend on the severity of your condition or injury and when you are considered able to return to work.

Contact Axelrod & Associates

We understand how stressful a workplace injury can be. We want to help you earn compensation to lessen some of this stress. Contact our team today.