Steinberg Law Firm Releases New Commercial on YouTube

Recently, the Steinberg Law Firm, a premier Charleston workers’ compensation law firm, released a YouTube commercial highlighting the firm’s commitment to South Carolina employees and workplace safety. The new ad is the latest effort by the Steinberg Law Firm to inform injured workers of their rights after suffering a serious workplace injury.

South Carolina Work Injury Statistics

When you get up and go to work, you assume that your employer has your back. You give your employer your best each day, and you expect them to do everything they can to ensure you are safe. Whether providing you and your fellow employees with the necessary training or safety equipment to complete the job safely or taking care to clear the workplace of hazards, South Carolina employers have an obligation to their employees.

Unfortunately, however, many employers overlook even the most basic safety hazards. Every year in South Carolina, nearly three percent of workers suffer an on-the-job injury. This amounts to more than 34,000 employees who suffer injuries related to their work. Almost two-thirds of these accidents result in either a workplace restriction, an employee being transferred to another position, or a worker missing at least one day of work.

The Most Dangerous Professions in South Carolina

According to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, more than half of all non-fatal workplace accidents in South Carolina occurred in two industries that comprise 37 percent of the workforce. The most dangerous occupations are those in the trade, transportation, and utilities, and manufacturing industries.  

The trade, transportation, and utilities sector includes a wide range of jobs, including:

• Warehouse employees
• Retail services workers
• Transportation employees
• Wholesale employees

Workers in the trade, transportation and utilities sector face numerous hazards, depending on their specific job duties. For example, many of those employed in this sector spend a significant amount of their day on the road. Thus, car accidents are a common cause of injury in this sector.

Warehouse workers face the risk of one-time injuries caused by falling packages, forklift injuries, and falls. However, because many of these positions require workers to lift heavy objects frequently, back, overuse and repetitive stress injuries are also quite common.

The manufacturing sector includes occupations in the following industries:

• Food manufacturing
• Textile mills
• Wood and paper manufacturing
• Metal fabrication
• Machinery fabrication
• Oil and gas manufacturing
• Furniture manufacturing
• Chemical manufacturing
• Beverage and tobacco manufacturing

Employees in the manufacturing industry confront many hazards. The nature of these workplace dangers varies based on the work environment. Most manufacturing employees work in fast-paced environments with heavy equipment that requires a high level of training and sophistication to use safely.

A Workers’ Compensation Can Help Injured Employees Get Back on Their Feet

Under South Carolina’s workers’ compensation law, employees who suffer injuries related to their work are entitled to ongoing income benefits. In addition, the employer is responsible for covering any medical care an injured worker needs as a result of a workplace accident or workplace illness.  

The workers’ compensation program is a no-fault system, meaning that employees do not need to prove that their employer (or anyone else) was responsible for their injuries. In most cases, even if the employee’s negligence played a role in the accident, they can still recover worker’s compensation benefits. Thus, to successfully bring a South Carolina workers’ comp claim, a worker need only prove:

1. They were classified as an “employee” and
2. Their injuries were related to their work.

While many work-related injuries are the result of an on-the-job accident, some develop more slowly. For example, a worker whose job requires them to make the same, seemingly innocuous movements throughout the day may develop a repetitive use injury. These injuries are also covered under the workers’ compensation system. Of course, it can be more challenging to connect a repetitive use injury to a worker’s employment, as there can be other potential causes of these conditions.

With few exceptions, most South Carolina employers are required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance. Thus, to bring a workers’ compensation claim in South Carolina, most employees must file a claim with their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier. While this ensures that there is adequate compensation available for an injured worker, it can also complicate the process, as the insurance company will have a say in the outcome of the claim. Employees who were injured on the job should reach out to a dedicated Charleston area workers’ compensation law firm to better understand their options and how to pursue them. 

Contact the Steinberg Law Firm’s Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Today

If you were hurt in a South Carolina workplace accident or developed a condition related to your employment, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. At the Steinberg Law Firm, our team of personal injury and workers’ compensation lawyers is committed to ensuring each of our clients recovers the compensation they need and deserve. From the moment you first meet with us, you will realize why we have a reputation as one of the premier workers’ compensation law firms in South Carolina. To learn more and schedule a free consultation with an attorney, call 843-720-2800. You can also reach us through our online form.