What does workers’ compensation cover? Workers’ compensation includes coverage for accident-related medical costs, partial wage recovery, and other possible benefits.
The best way to make sure you get your full benefits is by securing representation from an experienced South Carolina workers’ compensation lawyer.
Workers’ Compensation Covers Medical Costs and Lost Wages
Workers’ compensation benefits provide medical coverage and financial support to employees injured on the job. Coverage also applies to illnesses caused by the work environment.
A construction worker could fall or have an accident with a power tool. An office worker consistently exposed to mold could experience respiratory problems.
Workers’ comp covers workers’ medical treatment. Financial support comes through weekly payments representing just over 66% of your total weekly wages. The support continues until your doctor deems you fit to return to work.
If your injuries are permanent, benefits may continue. If you can work, but not in the same capacity, workers’ compensation can cover vocational training to prepare you for a new career.
You can have your South Carolina workers’ compensation benefits explained in greater detail by an experienced attorney.
Pre-Existing Conditions
Your non-work-related injuries impact workers’ comp, mainly by presenting employers and the insurance companies with a reason to deny you benefits. With powerful leadership from a workers’ comp lawyer, Shelly Leeke Law Firm will challenge these tactics.
A pre-existing condition does not erase your work-related injury. A work injury could also worsen your pre-existing condition. You deserve compensation for any damage sustained because of your job. We will fight to get it.
More Serious Injuries May Allow for Permanent Benefits
There are different types of workers’ compensation benefits. For injuries that heal, you may receive temporary partial disability (TPD) or temporary total disability (TTD). TPD provides benefits to workers who can work during their recovery, but in a limited capacity. Coverage makes up for the wage reduction incurred by working fewer hours.
TTD workers’ compensation covers those unable to work at all as they heal. Permanent partial disability (PPD) coverage applies to those left permanently disabled but able to work in a reduced capacity. Permanent total disability (PTD) gives permanent benefits to those rendered too disabled ever to return to work.
South Carolina Code of Laws section on Chapter 9 of Title 42 codifies amounts of compensation allowed for different levels of disability.
The Shelly Leeke Law Firm legal team will know how this and all other elements of the State’s workers’ compensation law apply to your situation.
Types of Illnesses and Injuries Workers’ Compensation Covers
Workers’ comp covers job–related physical injuries and illnesses. Injuries may come from a sudden accident. Some of the most common workers’ comp injuries include:
- Sprains and strains
- Fall injuries
- Lacerations
- Amputations
- Impact injuries
- Hearing loss
- Respiratory problems
- Burns
Physical injuries can also result from performing repeated motions. Workers who type for hours may suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome or tendinitis. Employers need to provide equipment and training on best practices to support their workers’ safety.
Mental Illnesses May Be Covered
A worker may experience debilitating stress from unreasonably heavy workloads or develop anxiety because of harassment or pressure from employers, colleagues, or overall job conditions. A worker could witness a criminal act or be subjected to sexual harassment or other forms of intimidation and develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
It can be difficult to secure benefits for mental illness. Sometimes, these conditions are only recognized if accompanied by a physical condition.
Our team takes your mental health seriously and will work diligently to protect your rights and your well-being. Shelly fights for you.
Workers’ Compensation May Cover Vocational Rehabilitation
Your work injury or illness may prevent you from returning to your job, but you may be well enough to work in other fields. If your previous job required heavy lifting and you sustained an on-the-job back injury, that job is no longer a physical possibility for you.
You may need training to enter a new type of employment. Sometimes, workers’ compensation covers the cost of that training. Your attorney can explain how to prepare for a workers’ comp vocational interview, so you know what to expect and can get the benefits you need.
We can help you review your medical records, advise you on updating your resume, and understand your rights. Even in a new work situation, you may be entitled to accommodations. We can prepare you for those discussions, letting you know what you can request or demand.
Workers’ Compensation Can Include Death Benefits
Surviving family members of workers killed in a work accident can file a claim for death benefits with the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC). Trust Shelly Leeke to manage this claim with tremendous care.
The death of a loved one is always painful. When the death results from an unexpected accident at work, it is even more difficult to process.
Families can lose out on benefits they deserve, and they need to stay financially secure if they do not know how to follow through with a workers’ compensation claim for death benefits.
If the death results from a long illness caused by a work condition, insurance companies may work to put the blame on others.
They may blame medical malpractice, for example. Even if there are grounds for a medical malpractice claim, that does not mean you are not eligible for workers’ compensation death benefits, too.
What Death Benefits Cover
Generally speaking, death benefits from workers’ compensation cover:
- Burial expenses up to $12,000
- Weekly payments representing approximately 2/3 of the deceased’s average weekly wages for 500 weeks
- Any medical expenses related to the accident or injury that preceded the worker’s death
If the decedent was receiving workers’ compensation but died from another cause, the surviving family can collect the unpaid balance.
Shelly Leeke Law Firm is on Your Side
You can count on a South Carolina workers’ compensation lawyer from our team to fight to protect your rights as an injured worker.
When you partner with us, you get the Shelly Leeke no–win–no–fee guarantee, so there is no financial risk in reaching out. We will work to hold your employer and the insurance company accountable for delivering every dollar you deserve.
