Sprains, strains, and tears are frequent types of injuries for people who work at hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, and other medical centers. Under South Carolina law, healthcare workers who are injured on the job may be entitled to receive money to help pay for their medical expenses and reduced income while they are healing.
The attorneys at Williams & Roche, LLC, have spent decades helping nurses, doctors, technicians, anesthesiologists, and other providers after they get injured on the job. We understand the unique challenges and pressures this population faces as they make enormous sacrifices to help those in need. We welcome the opportunity to lift the legal burden off their shoulders and give them space to focus on recovering.
How High Are Healthcare Workers’ Risk of Injury?
Healthcare workers are at a relatively high risk of getting hurt. During their workday, they need to bend over, lift, or twist to perform a number of tasks — like taking a patient’s blood pressure, drawing blood, or rotating a bedridden patient. These and other tasks take a toll on the body, especially if done repeatedly.
Additionally, a nurse injured at work does not always have the ability to take time off as people in other professions might. The hospital or medical center may put pressure on the professionals they employ to push forward and ignore injuries to maximize output. The result is that nurses and doctors may not be given the chance to take time off, heal, and prevent further harm to their bodies.
Common Healthcare Worker Injuries
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, common nursing injuries include sprains, strains, and tears. Conditions that fall into this category might consist of a sprained wrist or a torn ACL, torn rotator cuff, or meniscus.
Broken ribs, fractured bones, and occupational diseases or exposure are other types of wounds that nurses sustain. The BLS also reports that nurses are frequent targets of workplace violence — either from fellow staff members or disgruntled patients.
What Is the Most Common Injury for Healthcare Workers?
According to the BLS study cited above, the most common injuries for healthcare workers tend to come from overexertion and bodily reactions. Healthcare professionals are put in positions where they need to move heavy and bulky objects — like equipment and patients.
Doing these activities strains the body in ways that it may not be able to bounce back from immediately. What is more, nurses do not always get the time off they need and are forced to endure long shifts, which compounds injuries they may get while at work.
Requesting Workers’ Compensation as a Healthcare Provider
South Carolina law empowers those in the medical field to request work injury benefits if they get hurt while helping a patient or performing other job-related tasks. A healthcare worker’s compensation package might include money to cover their treatments, prescriptions, transportation costs, and lost earnings while they are on the mend.
Seek medical attention
As soon as you realize you are injured, it is a good idea to request that your employer provide you with medical treatment. If your employer refuses or drags their feet, then seek out help from a neutral and trusted provider. You will need this paperwork from a doctor or healthcare team to present to your employer and their workers’ compensation insurance company.
When you are seen, make sure to explain that you think your injury is work-related.
Notify your employer of the accident
South Carolina law requires you to tell your employer about your condition within a certain amount of time after the accident or from when you realize you are hurt. Depending on your situation, you may have up to 90 days to submit this notice, and the clock may begin on the day you get injured or from when you discover your condition.
If you are bringing a claim because of an occupational disease or exposure, you may have additional time to file. Likewise, some exceptions may extend the filing deadline in both scenarios.
File a formal workers’ compensation claim
The next step is for you to file a formal claim with the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission. In many — but not all — situations, you have up to two years to take this step.
That said, you may have additional time if an exception applies or if you are requesting compensation because of an occupational disease or exposure.
How a Workers Compensation Lawyer Can Help
When you are a member of a helping profession — like those in the healthcare industry — you spend a great deal of time taking care of others, often at the expense of your own mind and body. You deserve to have time to rest and refocus your time and energy on what matters to you rather than having to handle complex legal paperwork.
An experienced workers’ compensation attorney takes on the task of preparing and filing documents, communicating with the insurance company, negotiating with your employer and their insurer, and presenting arguments before the Workers’ Compensation Commission. Your lawyer can keep you updated on your case and consult you about critical decisions without adding to your stress by making you handle everything yourself.
Contact the South Carolina Workers’ Comp Attorneys at Williams & Roche, LLC
Something that many people want to know about is, “What is the most common injury for healthcare workers?” Conditions that arise from overexertion or physically reacting to something and strains, sprains, and tears are typical wounds nurses and other medical providers may experience. As long as they can prove their injury is work-related and they are a covered employee, the nurse may qualify to request a settlement package under the workers’ compensation program.
The steadfast team at Williams & Roche, LLC, has helped dozens of injured employees access the fault-free benefits they are entitled to under South Carolina law. Our founding attorneys both served as judges on the Workers’ Compensation Commission. They call on this invaluable experience on the bench to help guide and inform them as they advocate on behalf of claimants. Call us today by calling 803.784.0503 to schedule a no-obligation consultation with a member of our team.
