When you are injured on the job, it is crucial to take immediate action to protect yourself and your workers’ compensation claim. Any delay in seeking medical treatment, notifying your employer, or filing a claim could jeopardize your ability to secure the worker’s compensation benefits you might be eligible for.
You may need extensive medical care, such as hospitalization, surgery, or rehabilitation, which can take significant time and your financial resources. When this is the case, you rely of workers’ compensation to help you pay for your medical expenses and a portion of your lost wages while you are away from work. These benefits are often crucial for employees and their families, so don’t delay in taking the steps necessary to protect your workers’ compensation claim.
After any workplace accident, you must inform your supervisor of the accident and any injuries suffered by employees as soon as possible. It is best to put the notification down in writing to avoid any conflicts later about who was notified and when. If your injuries require emergency medical attention, make sure another employee alerts your supervisor and management, and file your written notice as soon as you are able.
Once your employer is notified, they will likely file your claim with their workers’ compensation carrier and will let you know which medical provider they or the insurance carrier have selected for you. If you’d like to visit a doctor of your choosing, you must request permission from your employer or the carrier first.
If your employer or the carrier denies your application for benefits, you will need to file additional paperwork about the accident and your injuries with the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission. You will submit the document, Form 50 or Form 52, to describe the circumstances of your injury and explain that you are requesting workers’ compensation benefits.
Additionally, filing for workers’ compensation in South Carolina comes with numerous deadlines, which can impede your ability to receive compensation, if you do not act quickly after your accident. To ensure that your claim is successful, you must respect the statute of limitations for workers’ compensation. No matter whether you have an on-site work accident, or you have a work-related illness, you have a maximum amount of two years to file a workers’ compensation claim. Although this may seem like a long amount of time, you must report your injury to your employer within the first 90 days of the accident, to become eligible for a workers’ compensation claim. In the case of long-term illnesses or injuries from your work, these deadlines begin from the point in time when you first recognized health problems from your work.
If you or a loved one were injured at work, you need workers’ compensation to support you through your recovery. The attorneys at Hammack Law Firm are ready to fight for you, to help you seek the compensation you need for your injuries. Contact Hammack Law Firm at (864) 766-7108 to begin work on your case, as soon as possible.
Our Client Bill of Rights offers a 30-day unconditional satisfaction guarantee —no costs and no fees. We serve our Greenville clients in all areas of personal injury, including auto and motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, and boating accidents.
To get started with our Greenville personal injury law firm, please simply contact us online or call (864) 766-7108 for a free consultation.
With over 25 years of legal experience, Paul Hammack provides his clients with a level of trial expertise and strategic insight rarely found in personal injury litigation. Having spent the first eight years of his career working within major insurance defense firms across Georgia and South Carolina, Paul gained an intimate understanding of the “other side’s” playbook. This insurance industry background serves as a unique differentiator for his clients; he knows exactly how insurance carriers evaluate risk and what motivates them to pay top dollar for a claim.
In 2008, Paul founded Hammack Law Firm to move away from the “plaintiff mill” model and focus on building personal relationships with those he represents. As a seasoned litigator, he has tried dozens of first-chair cases to verdict, specializing in high-stakes litigation involving catastrophic injuries and complex truck accidents. His dual-state practice allows him to provide aggressive representation across both South Carolina and Georgia, ensuring victims of negligence receive the maximum financial compensation possible regardless of which side of the state line the accident occurred.
Paul’s commitment to excellence is reflected in his record of significant achievements, including a $10 million tractor-trailer wrongful death settlement and a $3.9 million moped-versus-truck recovery. His credentials and bar admissions in both South Carolina and Georgia underscore his deep roots in the regional legal community. Beyond the courtroom, Paul is a dedicated advocate for his local community, contributing his time and resources to organizations such as the United Way, Red Cross, and Hands On Greenville, all while working to make South Carolina a safer place for everyone.
