Healthcare workers face some unique risks on the job. From repetitive stress injuries and threats from agitated patients to severe contagious illnesses and dangerous equipment, South Carolina healthcare workers are exposed to potentially dangerous conditions every day in workplaces like hospitals, nursing homes, or doctor’s offices. In a recent year, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 221,400 work-related injuries and illnesses were recorded in hospitals alone.
If you’re a healthcare worker and have been injured on the job, contact Jebaily Law Firm to speak with an experienced South Carolina healthcare work injury lawyer in a free consultation. You may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits under South Carolina law. In some cases, additional compensation could be available through a third-party personal injury claim.
Why Injured Healthcare Professionals Need Legal Help
Workplace injuries can be disruptive. The very nature of many workplace injuries means you’ll probably be away from work for a period as you recover. On top of that, you’ll have doctor appointments to attend, a recovery regimen to follow, medical bills to pay, and a day-to-day life that can’t be put on hold. Add the workers’ compensation process into the mix, and you’re likely feeling overwhelmed.
Thankfully, our healthcare worker injury lawyers can take the entire legal process off your plate. When you engage our attorneys, you can focus on your physical healing while trusting that important deadlines, legal procedures, and requirements related to your workers’ comp claim are being handled promptly, professionally, and with attention to detail.
Hazards in South Carolina Healthcare Settings
Hospital workers and other medical professionals face a variety of hazards due to the nature of their work and the environment where they do their jobs. Some of the common hazardous conditions encountered in healthcare settings include:
- Poor training
- Understaffing
- Lack of resources or supplies
- Physical demands including moving patients
- Slip-and-fall hazards
- Exposure to hazardous materials and bloodborne pathogens
- Sharp objects and needle wounds
- Repetitive movements
- Workplace violence
- Occupational illnesses
The healthcare industry encompasses a wide range of facilities and settings. The hazards you face at your job may be unique. Your attorney will understand these hazards and how they may have directly caused or contributed to your on-the-job injury.
What Are the Most Common Injuries Among Healthcare Workers?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare injuries are more common than injuries in construction and manufacturing – two industries generally regarded as being among the most dangerous.
Medical workers face an increased risk of a variety of job-related injuries and occupational illnesses. The types of injuries healthcare workers may suffer on the job vary depending on the setting and the specific hazards. Some of the most common injuries include:
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Lifting injuries
- Cuts and puncture wounds
- Infectious diseases
- Slip-and-fall injuries (fractures, sprains, strains, head injuries, etc.)
- Back injuries
- Chemical and radiation exposure
- Overexertion injuries
- Injuries resulting from violent attacks
Thankfully, workers’ compensation can provide employees with critical support if they’re injured on the job.
What Are South Carolina’s Workers’ Compensation Laws for Healthcare Workers?
South Carolina employers with four or more employees must carry workers’ compensation insurance. This coverage pays injured workers for their medical care, partial replacement of lost wages, and permanent disability.
If you’re injured on the job, you must report the injury to your employer right away. Failure to report it within 90 days of the accident can jeopardize your claim. Your employer will send you to an approved medical professional for evaluation and treatment. If your workers’ comp claim is approved, you’ll receive benefits weekly until you’re cleared to return to work without restrictions.
The workers’ comp process is more complicated than you might expect. Our healthcare work injury attorneys can help you file a workers’ compensation claim and appeal a denied or undervalued claim to secure the maximum financial support you deserve.
What Types of Compensation Can Injured South Carolina Healthcare Workers Receive?
Injured healthcare workers in South Carolina are eligible for three main types of benefits from the workers’ compensation system:
- Medical Benefits — This covers all reasonable and necessary treatments related to your injury, such as hospitalization, prescriptions, surgeries, physical therapy, and doctor visits.
- Lost Wages — Workers’ compensation also provides temporary partial and total disability compensation based on the extent of your injuries, your average wage at the time of the injury, and your ability to continue working. The benefits are limited to two-thirds of your average weekly wage up to a cap.
- Permanent Disability — If the incident results in a permanent injury that renders you unable to work, workers’ comp provides 500 weeks of benefit payments. Disability benefits may be lifelong if the injury results in a permanent and total disability involving paralysis or a severe and permanent brain injury.
Other benefits and services may be available depending on your situation, including assistance with vocational rehabilitation. In the event of a death due to workplace injuries, survivors may apply for death benefits and assistance with the cost of burial.
What Should I Do If My Work Injury Claim Is Denied or Undervalued?
If your workers’ comp application is denied or the proposed benefit payments are less than you believe they should be, speak with our healthcare work injury attorneys immediately. Our experienced workers’ comp lawyers want to help you seek the benefits you deserve and advocate for you throughout this complex process.
Potential Third-Party Personal Injury Claims for Injured Healthcare Workers
Workers’ comp is your exclusive remedy against your employer under the law for workplace injuries experienced in a healthcare setting. In other words, you can’t sue your employer for additional compensation. However, if your injury resulted from a third party’s actions, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against them. A third party is someone other than your employer and co-workers.
For example, if you were attacked by a patient, injured by a piece of defective medical equipment, or hurt due to a contractor’s failure to pick up some debris from construction or renovation, you may be able to seek compensation from the responsible party. Our attorneys can fully investigate the accident to determine whether that is an option.
A successful third-party claim could allow you to recover benefits not available from workers’ compensation, including the total value of your lost wages, pain, suffering, and other intangible losses.
Get Help from Our South Carolina Healthcare Work Injury Lawyers
For over 50 years, Jebaily Law Firm has served injury victims throughout South Carolina, bringing more than 100 years of combined legal experience to complex injury claims and fighting for positive outcomes in our clients’ cases. We’re proud to advocate for healthcare workers injured on the job. We are ready to pursue the compensation you deserve, whether through a workers’ comp claim or a personal injury suit.
Contact us today for a free case review with a knowledgeable South Carolina healthcare work injuries lawyer. We look forward to hearing your story and helping you understand your legal rights and options.
