Workers’ Compensation Claim: Time is of the Essence

Workers’ compensation can be a huge relief to many employees who wind up being injured on the job, providing much-needed medical benefits and wage replacement when a workplace injury prevents an employee from working. On its surface, the workers’ compensation process seems pretty straightforward – you’re injured on the job, you file a claim and you receive benefits. But in actual practice, the process can be much more complicated, especially if an employer or their insurance company balks at upholding his or her end of the bargain.

In the 12-month period from July 2011 through June 2012, more than 11,000 workers’ compensation claims were challenged in hearings when employers and their insurance companies partially or completely denied claims. Suffering an injury comes with its own set of stresses and frustrations; having a claim denied and battling the employer’s insurance company for your rightful compensation can be overwhelming at best. The South Carolina workers’ compensation laws are complex, and determining how to navigate them successfully isn’t an easy process even under the calmest circumstances. Attempting to fight an insurance company’s decision without the aid of a SC workers’ compensation lawyer can result in substantial delays, and during that time, you’ll still have your bills to pay out of your own savings.

What’s more, South Carolina workers’ compensation claims have a statute of limitations on both the initial claim date and the filing date. Under current law, workers have 90 days to report their claim and two years to pursue it. Those deadlines may sound ample, but considering the complexity of the SC workers’ compensation laws and the very restrictive guidelines that must be followed to the letter, it’s surprisingly easy to miss at least one of these two critical dates. Miss a deadline even by just a day, and your claim can be denied outright. And even with the full amount of time to file, simple omissions or other issues can result in prolonged delays to your claim and wind up pushing back your compensation payout.

To ensure the workers’ compensation claims process proceeds as smoothly as possible, you need to being working with a South Carolina workers’ compensation attorney as soon as possible. Building a case to support your claim requires time to gather evidence and collect other data that plays an essential role in making sure your rights are protected. Plus, your attorney can handle all the legal legwork and red tape that tend to go hand-in-hand with most claims denials so you can gain the peace of mind that comes from knowing your rights are being protected by someone with the experience and know-how necessary for a successful outcome.

If you have a workers’ compensation issue you’d like to discuss, don’t delay. Call our office today at (843) 863-1800 to schedule a free consultation or fill out our online form to learn more.