6 Ways to Protect Your South Carolina Workers’ Comp Benefits

Do you know how to protect your South Carolina workers comp benefits?  South Carolina’s worker’s comp laws provide some pretty important protections for workers who get injured on the job, including compensation for medical costs and lost wages while you’re recovering from your injuries. But those benefits don’t come automatically, and if you don’t take the right steps to ensure your rights are protected, you can wind up losing your claims for compensation. If you’re injured on the job, here are six important steps you need to take to ensure your rights are protected so you can get the compensation you deserve:

1. Report your injury right away – even if you consider it “too minor” to mention. Remember: What seems like a minor issue now could develop into a more serious injury later, and if you haven’t established a record of an injury – even a small one – coming back later to make a claim can be much more difficult. Worker’s compensation claims have strict deadlines, and if you delay in reporting your injury and filing your claim, you could be out of luck.
2. Request immediate medical care, no matter how mild you think the injury is, for your own sake. Only a qualified medical professional is able to determine the true extent of your injury, so even if you think you can”work through the pain”  or if the pain doesn’t seem “too serious,” you still need to seek care right away. Some injuries become worse over time – especially joint injuries or “bumps” on the head. Seeing a doctor right away can help you avoid major treatment later as well as helping to reduce your risk of long-term disability.
3. When you see the doctor, be specific. be sure to give plenty of details about your accident and how it occurred. The doctor will be creating a permanent record of your injury which will hold a lot of weight when it comes time to file a worker’s compensation claim. Don’t minimize your symptoms, and don’t embellish either.
4. Follow through on your doctor’s recommendations for treatment. One of the surest ways to have a claim denied – and have difficulty fighting that denial – is by not following through with recommended care. After all, if you don’t take your condition seriously, why should the insurance company?
5. Don’t be afraid to file. Too many employees fail to file because they’re afraid of angering their employer. But the fact is, your employer has worker’s comp insurance for a reason – to handle situations just like yours. And besides, protecting your health and your rights under the law is much more important than your employer’s feelings.
6. See a workers’ compensation injury lawyer. Experienced work comp lawyers understand the laws that govern South Carolina’s worker’s comp regulations. They understand the important steps you need to take to protect your rights every step of the way so you aren’t taken advantage of or confused by the complexities of the process. Working with a skilled workers compensation injury lawyer from the beginning ensures your rights and your best interests are looked after so you can feel confident your claim will be handled appropriately from the moment you file.

If you’ve been injured on the job, you have a short time frame in which to file your workers’ compensation claim. E. Lindsay Blanks is a skilled South Carolina workers’ compensation injury lawyer, with the skills and experience to tirelessly fight for your rights. Don’t delay – call the Law Offices of E. Lindsay Blanks at (843) 863-1800 and schedule your free consultation today.