Injuries at the workplace can be devastating. Not only do you have to deal with the pain caused by the injury, but also the uncertainty of whether you’ll be able to provide for yourself and your family while you recover.
If you or someone you love has been injured while working in Hanahan, state law requires that you are provided with certain benefits and compensation. These benefits, broadly known as workers’ compensation, provide payment for all related medical bills, temporary or permanent disability, and supplemental job vouchers that can help cover your expenses while you, in some cases, retrain for a new position. In the unfortunate event that a loved one is killed on the job, your family may also be entitled to death benefits. Two types of injuries that workers’ compensation will not compensate you for include pain and suffering and loss of companionship.
Different from other social benefit programs, such as Social Security and Disability, South Carolina’s state insurance program pays workers’ compensation benefits only if your employer does not carry its own workers’ compensation insurance policy. While the state of South Carolina’s Uninsured Employers’ Fund will pay your benefits if your employer does not, a self-insured employer or a private insurance company typically pays workers’ compensation claims.
What to Do if You Are Injured at Work
If you have been injured while working in the state of South Carolina, there are a couple of important steps you should take to protect your claim.
- Immediately notify your employer of your injury and ask for a claim form. If you begin to develop a repetitive stress injury over time, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, report your injury as soon as you are diagnosed or develop symptoms.
- Ask your employer to recommend a medical doctor, but remember that you are also entitled to see your own doctor at your own expense.
For additional information about workers’ compensation, read through the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission’s frequently asked questions.
Your employer cannot fire you if you file a workers’ compensation claim.
One question that many clients often ask is, “Will I get fired if I file a workers’ compensation claim?” While you can get fired for almost any reason, or even without reason, it is against the law for an employer to discriminate against (fire) you for filing a workers’ compensation claim.
If, after filing a workers’ compensation claim, your employer were to fire you for that reason, the employer would be subject to a number of legal actions under state and federal laws.
