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Providing Compensation for Those Who Care For Us
No one should have to worry about navigating the aftermath of a work injury alone. Those of you who are healthcare workers are especially necessary as you care for us and our loved ones when we need it the most.
During and after the pandemic, the world shined an even brighter light on how much we rely on our healthcare workers and how much we need to ensure they get the help they need, as they play a vital role in our lives.
We think it’s about time the world began to recognize just how imperative the healthcare industry is if they hadn’t fully understood its impact.
Common Injuries Experienced By Healthcare Workers
Infectious Disease – many healthcare workers can contract illnesses due to exposure to patients who have illnesses. They can also contract illness through needle sticks or contaminated bodily fluids.
Violence – while many workplaces have been plagued with violence, healthcare buildings are no exception. Due to working with the public daily, healthcare workers are exposed to dangers in the emergency room areas, mental health facilities, and more.
Repetitive motion injuries consist of injuries based on typing, lifting, or otherwise repetitive motions that eventually lead to injury.
Chemical or radiation exposure is also common in a healthcare facility as there are machines like X-ray equipment or MRI machines that can result in injury over time-based on high levels of hazardous exposure.
Back injuries – Physically demanding tasks such as lifting or moving patients, moving equipment, and other tasks can lead to strain on the back, causing spinal issues such as herniated discs or persistent back pain.
Slip and Fall Injuries – while standard across all industries, slip and fall injuries account for a significant number of injuries in healthcare due to the hard floors, slippery surfaces from frequent cleaning or disinfecting, and moving at a rapid pace.
What To Do Following a Workplace Injury
The main priority is to seek medical care. With most healthcare workers, they are either in a facility that can treat them or they are near one, depending on the area of the industry that they are in.
It’s important to note that South Carolina can choose who they want their employees to be seen by or an approved medical facility. Another distinct advantage that healthcare workers have is that the approved medical care is likely within the same building.
Employees can choose to seek medical care elsewhere, but they may not be able to obtain compensation for their medical needs and will need to see the approved physician and staff to move forward.
Notify your upper management or medical administrative staff of your injury immediately. A record of the time and date that the injury occurred when you reported it and followed up with the medical records when you sought treatment can be created.
Additional Steps To Take Following a Workplace Injury
Confirm that your employer filed your claim with worker’s compensation. Some employers aren’t as diligent as we’d like them to be, and if there is a delay in filing the claim, find out why or choose to file it yourself. You can obtain the Form 50 that you need to fill out through the South Carolina Worker’s Compensation Commission link here.
Contact your trusted worker’s compensation attorney. By seeking professional legal guidance, you can ensure that you aren’t missing the necessary steps or that you have done all you can to ensure that your claim is honored and you receive the compensation you deserve.
Common Reasons for Worker’s Compensation Claims to Be Denied
Prior injury or illness – some claims may be denied if it’s incorrectly shown that the injury or illness existed before the claim was made. Ensure through the evidence you put together with your attorney that the injury was new and directly related to your work.
Incorrect classification – employers sometimes seek temporary help across industries, and then the employee is changed to a full-time status. Through this transition, it may occasionally fall through the cracks that the employee is not an independent contractor. If this applies to you, it may be the reason for the denial.
The injury didn’t occur at work – some claims will be denied if there isn’t sufficient evidence to support that the injury happened while you were at work. Ensure you have made this clear in your claim by speaking with your attorney when filing Form 50,
Serving Those Who Serve Us in Our Time of Need
It’s a selfless act to put yourself at risk each day to care for others. We appreciate and respect your work ethic and want to ensure that you are not settling for far less than you deserve following a workplace accident.
Contact our office today at (803) 855-1012 to learn more about how we can best serve you and your family. No one should have to heal from an injury, miss necessary income to provide for their family, and not get compensated for it, especially when the injury occurs at work.
From working with the “big guys” for fourteen years to creating a small firm – feel, Attorney Tyler Lee is proud to tirelessly serve those who serve our community in our times of need. There is no large or small company that our team will shy away from. No matter the size of the case, we are a committed advocate for our clients from start to finish so they can get back to doing what they love to do while avoiding unnecessary financial stress.
