Being unable to move, breathe, talk, or walk because of a paralyzing injury can completely upend your life and rob you of your ability to support yourself and your loved ones. By filing a claim through the workers’ compensation system, you give yourself a fighting chance to secure a fair settlement you can use to cover your expenses throughout your healing process. Additionally, if you have paraplegia or quadriplegia, you may qualify for lifetime benefits. Consider partnering with a paralysis lawyer at Williams & Roche, LLC, for work injuries. Our founding attorneys have been championing the rights of injured workers for over 50 years. One of our founding lawyers, Derrick Williams, was one of the youngest ever to serve on the Workers’ Compensation Commission.
What Is a Paralysis Injury?
A paralyzing injury is a wound or condition that prevents the signals from someone’s body and brain from reaching each other. Depending on the location and type of wound, the person may ultimately lose the ability to move or control that part of their body. In mild cases, they may still be able to be able to use or feel that area of their body.
Types of Paralysis Injuries
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, there are a couple of different types of paralyzing injuries. A complete injury is where the person’s nerves totally lose the ability to communicate with the person’s brain. For example, someone with a complete spinal cord injury in their neck may not be able to control their bladder or bowels or use their legs.
In contrast, if a person has an incomplete injury, the nerves still have ways to send messages between the body and the brain. The result is that the person may keep some level of feeling or function in that region of the body.
Either of these types of wounds can make it difficult or impossible for people to continue working — at least in the capacity they could before the accident. Even if they are able to return to work, the salary they can earn may be much less than it was before. A paralysis lawyer for work injuries may be an important resource for those who want to understand their rights after a job-related condition keeps them from earning a living. They can help the person identify all potential sources of compensation to help support them while they are hurt. In some cases, the attorney may be able to secure lifetime benefits for them.
Workers’ Comp and Fighting the Insurance Company After a Paralytic Injury
The workers’ compensation insurance system is there to help support you if you get hurt on the job and cannot work because of it. Ideally, you would file a claim, and the insurance company would accept it on your first request; however, this does not always happen. If you want to apply for workers’ comp, there are some tips to keep in mind to help keep you on the right track.
Consulting a paralysis lawyer for workers’ comp may be a good way for you to get the support you need as you try to navigate the claims process. They can help you identify your deadlines and take steps to file documents on time so you can focus on recovering and adjusting to what might be a new situation for you.
What are the filing deadlines for a paralyzing work injury?
South Carolina law requires workers to take legal action within a certain amount of time before they can request benefits. The first of these deadlines is to tell their employer about the initial injury within 90 days after it occurs. Ideally, the employee would send in this notice immediately after the incident; however, the law recognizes that this is not always possible. Once the accident occurs, the worker has two years to file a formal claim with the Workers’ Compensation Commission.
What kind of evidence can you use to support your workers’ comp claim?
As part of the claims process, you will need to draw a connection between your injury and a work-related incident. To accomplish this, you may use a variety of different materials, such as your medical records and surveillance videos or photographs of where and how the accident happened.
If your coworkers saw what happened to you — such as a car crash or a fall off a ladder — they may be able to give a statement that you or your attorney can use to support your claim. If you have a paralysis injury lawyer, they can help you identify and gather the materials you need to strengthen your legal arguments.
What happens if the insurance company denies the claim?
Under South Carolina law, if the insurance company denies your claim — or you are unable to reach an agreement within 14 days after your employer receives notice of your injury — you have the option to ask the Workers’ Compensation Commission to hold a hearing. As part of the investigation process for this hearing, they might ask you to have a specific doctor examine you to evaluate your condition.
At the hearing, the Commission may review the evidence and listen to arguments from you (or your paralysis injury attorney) and your employer. At the end of the hearing, the Commission may make a final decision about how to proceed and either accept or deny the claim.
How a Paralytic Injury Attorney Can Help
When you cannot work because of a paralyzing condition, getting timely and effective medical care is essential. If an accident — such as a work-related trip and fall or a crushing incident — caused you to sustain a serious spinal cord injury, you may be able to seek benefits under the workers’ compensation system. Instead of trying to do this alone, consider the potential advantages you may have by working with a seasoned attorney.
Reach out to our team today by calling 803.784.0503 to set up an initial consultation with a paralysis lawyer for work injuries in South Carolina. Williams & Roche, LLC, understands the struggles you may be facing, and we welcome the chance to help you through it in whatever way we can.
Dozens of injured workers have trusted our team to help them get a fair workers’ compensation settlement in their time of need. We welcome the chance to try to do the same for you.
