Free Consultation | Columbia/Sumter(803) 973-0304 | Charleston(843) 388-3368 | Summerville (By appointment only)(843) 388-3368
Free Consultation | Columbia/Sumter(803) 973-0304 | Charleston(843) 388-3368 | Summerville (By appointment only)(843) 388-3368
Understandably, no one who works in South Carolina expects to be the victim of a personal injury. Besides the immense cost and pain it causes, getting injured on the job can cause significant worry.
After a workplace injury, major concerns can include:
On top of all these worries, you’re in extreme pain and trying to rehabilitate your injury to be able to get back on your feet. Meanwhile, the insurance company plots their defense with their lawyers to ensure they pay you as little as possible when settling your case. Unfortunately, that’s how insurance companies make billions of dollars a year in profits.
The solution? You need a team of experienced and attentive workers’ compensation lawyers in Columbia, SC, on your side.
A workplace injury can occur in many different ways. You may sustain an injury while lifting an object, falling over something, or twisting a body part while working.
Injuries requiring workers’ compensation aren’t always the sudden pain-inducing accident you may picture, such as a flying saw blade or a dangerous chemical spill. Recent research found that musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are now the leading cause of workplace injuries in the United States. Musculoskeletal injuries most often occur in the workplace when employees:
Making matters worse, workplace injuries can also happen while you’re not in a company building. An example of this situation could be sustaining injuries in a car accident while performing a work task for your employer. People often seek a workers’ compensation lawyer in Columbia, SC, to understand what to do next.
The South Carolina’s Workers’ Compensation Act protects and covers workers injured in the course of their duties at their place of employment, including:
If you are injured on the job in South Carolina and an employer denies or tries to delay instead of paying you, your injuries can worsen as bills pile up. Dayson Shalabi Burkett Law Firm, LLC will step in and see that you receive the compensation you deserve. With two former South Carolina prosecutors and a former insurance defense lawyer as partners, our firm has years of comprehensive understanding of the law; useful experience handling the tricks and attempts companies will engage in to avoid payment; and we are uniquely qualified to get you the rightful compensation you deserve.
Understandably, the combination of lost wages and medical expenses can be a one-two punch to anyone’s finances. Fortunately, workers’ compensation exists to help the injured party take care of themselves, their medical expenses, and similar expenses.
If you are injured on the job, you may be entitled to some, if not all, of the following benefits:
It is extremely important to understand that you do NOT have to be at fault to be able to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Also, your employer does NOT have to be negligent for you to receive workers’ compensation benefits. A workers’ compensation lawyer in Columbia, SC, will help you understand how negligence and being at fault work in this type of legal situation.
Not all workplace injuries can and will warrant workers’ compensation benefits. Before you contact our workers’ compensation lawyers in Charleston, SC, wondering if you have a valid claim is important.
You should consider hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer in Columbia, SC, if your employer, its insurance company, or both parties are delaying your claim. Another potential warning sign is if employers or insurance providers suddenly change their demeanors for the worse. A workers’ comp lawyer in Charleston is also advisable to contact if your injury is severe and you fear you’ll be out of work for a while.
You may not be receiving some of these benefits from your workers’ compensation insurance company. If not, call our Charleston, SC workers’ compensation lawyers to ensure you get the benefits you deserve under the law. Insurance companies are not going to do this for you.
An insurance adjuster working on behalf of your employer does not represent you or have your best interests in mind. The adjuster’s job is to save as much money as possible. That’s how their bosses evaluate them. The less money they spend on you, the more profit the insurance company makes.
However, an insurance company’s attitude can change when you have a team of workers’ compensation and personal injury lawyers in Columbia, SC, in your corner.
You have many options to consider before choosing a workers’ compensation lawyer in Charleston or Columbia, SC. So, what sets Dayson Shalabi Burkett Law Firm, LLC, apart from the competition?
Our attorneys spent years representing insurance companies as workers’ compensation defense lawyers. They have represented multiple Fortune 500 companies as their lead counsel on thousands of cases. Instead of defending insurance companies, our law firm now proudly defends hard-working and injured people standing up to these massive businesses.
When you choose DSB, you gain a stand-out legal team that gives your situation the personalized attention it deserves.
As one of Columbia, South Carolina’s leading team of workers’ comp lawyers, we often receive questions about workers’ compensation. That’s why we collected the answers to some of the most common workers’ comp-related questions we receive.
States have different laws about how they proceed with workers’ compensation cases. However, South Carolina does not offer recovery specifically for pain and suffering pertaining to workers’ compensation. However, this state does allow workers’ compensation benefits for lost wages, medical expenses, and permanent disabilities.
Workers’ compensation collection periods vary based on the severity of your injuries. However, it’s possible to collect workers’ compensation benefits in South Carolina for up to 500 weeks.
As every workers’ compensation lawyer in Columbia, SC, can attest to, It’s best to file a claim against the other party or parties as quickly as possible. That’s because South Carolina’s statute of limitations for filing a workers’ compensation is two years. South Carolina gives you no more than 90 days to report your workplace injury. There are, however, exceptions to this 90-day notice rule so please contact us to determine if you are still eligible to file a valid workers’ compensation claim.
Workers’ compensation lawyers in Columbia, SC, understand clients want to resolve their legal matters quickly. Unfortunately, there’s no way to predict exactly when qualifying adults will begin receiving workers’ compensation settlements. We usually strongly advise against clients settling before their doctors have released him at maximum medical improvement, meaning you’ve received all the treatment recommended by your doctor.
According to information from the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission, its current maximum weekly compensation rate was $1,093.67 for any injuries happening during or after January 1st, 2024.
You might be unaware that some injured body parts can be worth more money than others. These values typically come from damage sustained and the importance of body parts as they relate to your future career. For example, a scratch on your arm would normally be worth less than losing your arm.
Workers’ compensation payments in South Carolina are generally tax-exempt, meaning you don’t have to pay taxes on workers’ comp payments or lump sums. However, your situation gets a little tricker if you already receive government-related payments, such as those for Social Security Disability Income (SSDI).
Contact a workers’ compensation lawyer in Columbia, SC, for help understanding how to proceed with this aspect of workers’ comp.
No, it’s against the law for an employer to fire you specifically for seeking or obtaining workers’ compensation in South Carolina. That said, South Carolina is an at-will employment state. An at-will state allows employers to terminate employees for any reason or no reason at all.
As you might imagine, it’s not uncommon for a South Carolina business to terminate someone receiving workers’ compensation but using another reason as the basis of their termination agreements.
People who receive workers’ compensation benefits aren’t typically receiving as much money as they made while working. Many people believe receiving workers’ compensation means you cannot obtain a second job, which isn’t true. However, South Carolina’s laws require you to notify your employer at the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission about your new second job.
