What is Workers' Compensation?

An employee who is injured on the job in South Carolina may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. The injured employee will not be eligible for those benefits unless the accident is reported to the employer as soon as possible, but no later than ninety (90) days after the accident. To obtain benefits after notifying the employer of the accident and injury, an injured employee must file a claim with the Workers’ Compensation Commission within two (2) years from the date of the work accident.

In South Carolina, workers’ compensation provides three basic benefits to workers who have an accepted work-related injury. These benefits are summarized below:

Do I Have to Use an Attorney?

No. You can request a hearing by calling the Workers’ Compensation Commission at 803.737.5700.

Often an injured worker relies on his employer for information about workers’ compensation benefits but wonders if he or she is getting all of the benefits workers’ compensation provides.” If you do decide to consult with an attorney who practices in the field of workers’ compensation, you can find contact information for one of our attorneys here. Many will do a free case review for you.

Please note that it is unlawful for an attorney to accept any money directly from a client in a South Carolina workers’ compensation case. Any fee requested by a lawyer in a workers’ compensation claim must be approved by the Workers’ Compensation Commission, and if awarded it will be deducted from any additional benefits owed to you by the insurance carrier.

Compensation

Workers’ compensation pays for necessary medical treatment, loss of wages during a period of disability, and compensation for permanent disability or disfigurement. For example, if an employee is injured and unable to work for more than seven days, he or she is eligible to be compensated at the rate of 66 2/3% of the employee’s average weekly wage, limited to 100% of the State’s average weekly wage as established each year by the South Carolina Employment Security Commission. Awards are usually made in terms of the number of weeks of compensation to which the employee is entitled based on the extent of the disabling injury.

In South Carolina, the disability or death of an employee resulting from an occupational disease is treated as an injury by accident, and the employee, or in case of death, the deceased’s dependents, may be entitled to compensation.

In addition to occupational diseases, injury from harmful exposures to ionizing radiation is also defined for particular attention under the Workers’ Compensation Act.