Rock Hill, SC Work Accident Lawyer [Injured On The Job?] (2024)

We offer legal assistance for workers who have been injured on the job in Rock Hill and York County.

When you’ve suffered an on-the-job work injury in the Rock Hill region or elsewhere in South Carolina, you need top-notch representation. A workplace injury can leave you feeling lost, worried and in pain—all while questions filter through your mind about how to recover faster and take care of your family at the same time. Don’t succumb to your greatest fears. Instead, partner with a law firm that will help you find success and healing at every turn.

The attorneys at the Wilder Pantazis Law Group have helped thousands of people during their careers find success and assistance, both monetary and medical-based. We can help find the resources you need to help you and your family recover, and move on to the next phase of your life.

Some work injuries are relatively minor and treatment can be swift and effective, while other injuries can be catastrophic and take years to heal (if they ever heal at all). Having an experienced and knowledgeable attorney fighting for you who knows what you’re going through and who can help navigate the complex waters of workers’ compensation law can take a huge amount of pressure off of you and your family.

We invite you to contact our Rock Hill, SC attorneys today to talk about your options. Your first consultation is free and we don’t collect a dime until you do. When experience counts, you can count on us. Schedule an appointment today.

In the meantime, check out our workers’ compensation attorney guide to injured workers’ rights and benefits.

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Visit our law firm near Rock Hill, SC

Our law firm is located just 30 miles north of Rock Hill, in the Echo Hills neighborhood of Charlotte. To visit our office, take I-77 N to Charlotte and get off at exit 9B to merge onto I-277 N/US-74 E. Continue onto US-74 E and follow signs for NC-27 E/Independence Expy. After a couple miles, turn right onto Briar Creek Road, then turn left onto Monroe Road in less than half a mile. Look for our office on the left.

Our mission is helping you recover from a workplace accident

A guide to workers’ compensation in Rock Hill, SC

You shouldn’t feel helpless after suffering a workplace injury or being diagnosed with an occupational illness. Help is just a phone call or email away! In the meantime, here are a few things you should know about workers’ compensation law in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Rock Hill workers’ comp laws

According to the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act, any business that employs 3 or more employees—even those operating as sole proprietorships, corporations or limited liability companies (LLCs)—must purchase and carry workers’ compensation insurance at all times.

There are only a few exceptions to this rule, such as employees of certain railroads, “casual employees” who are not working in the usual course of trade, business or occupation of the employer, domestic workers directly employed by the household, farm laborers and federal government employees.

Statute of limitations

The statute of limitations is the same in both North and South Carolina. Injured employees have just 2 years from the date of their workplace injury or illness diagnosis to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits.

What’s more, injured employees only have 30 days to notify their employer when they sustain an on-the-job injury.

Types of workers’ comp benefits available

• Lost wages. Employees who qualify for workers’ compensation benefits can expect a maximum of two-thirds your average weekly wage, with the maximum weekly benefit changing on a regular basis due to inflation. These are also commonly referred to as “wage loss” and “indemnity” benefits.
• Medical reimbursem*nt. Qualified employees will have medical expenses and treatments covered, as well as any travel that’s further than 20 miles round trip at the rate of 54 cents per mile (as of 2016).
• Permanent Partial Disability (PPD). You may be entitled to PPD benefits (financial and medical) if you are unable to heal sufficiently enough to return to work.
• Vocational rehabilitation. If your injury or illness is so debilitating that you can’t return to your old job or are earning less income as a result, you may be eligible for vocational rehabilitation services.
• Death benefits. If a person dies due to a fatal workplace accident or job-related illness, then their surviving spouse, children and other family members may have access to wrongful death benefits, including two-thirds of the deceased’s pre-injury average weekly wage for 500 weeks, in addition to funeral and burial expenses totaling up to $10,000.

What to do after a workplace injury in Rock Hill

If you’ve been seriously injured on the job, then your first step is to seek medical treatment immediately. Some workplace injuries occur over time from constant repetitive motion and an emergency doctor’s visit might not be needed. But if you are in immediate distress, call 911. Then, take the following steps:

1. Report your injury to your manager or supervisor. Starting a paper trail about your injury is key to securing the maximum workers’ compensation benefits. Put the notification in writing; don’t assume that telling a coworker about the injury is enough. If you wait more than 30 days to report the injury, you could lose out on the ability to receive full benefits.
2. Get a list of approved doctors from your employer. If you balk at using the doctors or specialists on the list (referred to as the “panel of physicians”) and proceed to use your own doctor, your employer and their insurance company may use that as an excuse to deny you workers’ comp benefits.
3. Submit the proper paperwork to the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission. Start by printing Form 12A (First Report of Injury) from the SCWCC website, and follow the instruction on how to submit it. Once you start down this path, reach out to an experienced local attorney so that you can bring their knowledge and expertise to bear in your case.
4. Document the claim. Ask your employer for copies of all documents they have filed regarding your claim or on your behalf. Make certain you’ve made a copy of the Form 12A and ask your supervisor or manager for a written report on the incident. If they will not write one, you should.
5. Update your employer. Keep your employer in the loop at every step of the process. If your doctor issues a stay-at-home order, excuses you from work or gives restrictions on the type of work you can perform, ask for this in writing and notify your manager immediately.
6. Check with the insurance company. Verify that your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance company has been notified and a claim started. Get the name and phone number of the insurance company from whomever handles your workplace HR office. If possible, learn the name of the person who is handling your claim. This person is the adjuster, and you are allowed to speak directly with that person.
7. Consult an attorney. Lastly, speak with an attorney about your injuries and predicament. Many attorneys charge no fees until they’ve helped you recover the full workers’ compensation benefits you are entitled to. Here at Wilder Pantazis Law Group, initial consultations are free too! We’ve helped thousands of injured workers overcome a variety of injuries and obstacles so that you can recover physically and financially.

About Rock Hill, South Carolina

Rock Hill is the fifth-largest city in South Carolina. Located about 25 miles south of Charlotte, the area has seen a tremendous population boom over the last decade, with more than 75,000 residents as of 2019.

An interesting aspect of how Rock Hill came to be a town is due to the railroad running through the area. It was originally planned to go from Charlotte to Columbia and run through Ebenezerville, but residents there didn’t want the loud, dirty trains running through their community. So when several prominent families in the Rock Hill area offered right-of-way through their land, the railroad jumped at the chance—and it was only a 2-mile detour.

Rock Hill is known for scenic riverfront views of the Catawba River and more than 31 parks. It’s also known for its historic downtown, which consists of a dozen buildings built around 1840 which today house dining options and retail stores. The first general store was built in the town around 1849. The city’s primary public college is Winthrop University, a liberal arts school founded in 1886 with roughly 6,000 students.

Rock Hill consists primarily of several neighborhoods, some of which were small towns or independent communities in the past that were incorporated into Rock Hill. They include Downtown, Ebenezer, Newport, Oakdale and Boyd Hill. Rock Hill is a four-time winner of America’s Promise Alliance “100 Best Communities for Young People” and was featured by Time’s Money Magazine as one of the top 50 places to live in the USA for 2018.

A few famous faces who have called Rock Hill home include Olympic speed skater Lauren Cholewinski, Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst, Blues keyboardist Ironing Board Sam, actor Leon Rippy of HBO’s Deadwood, and major league baseball players Lafayette Currence and Jim Ray. The list of National Football League players from Rock Hill reads like a “who’s who” with more than 20 names.

Top employers and industries in Rock Hill, SC

A few of the largest employers in Rock Hill include 3D Systems, Amida Industries, Carolina Energy, Comporium Communications, the City of Rock Hill, Hyosung Corp, Cytec Carbon Filters, Langer Transport Corporation, Rock Hill Schools and Winthrop University.

Local resources for Rock Hill, SC residents