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Factories can be dangerous places to work due to their fast-moving pace environment full of heavy equipment. Common injuries for factory workers in South Carolina can include head and neck injuries, hearing and vision loss, back and spine injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, limb and digit amputations, broken bones and fractures, chemical and electrical burns, and issues related to chemical exposure.
These physical injuries can also lead to emotional and mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and stress, in addition to a loss of productivity in the workplace, which affects both employer and employee. Luckily, injured workers have a right to recover workers’ compensation benefits. A lawyer in your area can explain your rights, the application process, and the appeals process if your initial request for benefits was denied.
Sustaining Serious Injuries Can Change a Factory Worker’s Life
The injuries common among factory workers can lead to changes in their physical appearance and abilities.
Injuries you can sustain working in a factory can include:
- Repetitive strain injuries (RSI). Factories often function as large assembly lines with workers doing the same tasks repeatedly. This activity can lead to repetitive strain injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, and stress fractures, among others, according to Cleveland Clinic.
- Overexertion injuries. These injuries can include strained muscles and back injuries due to heavy lifting. Overexertion injuries can also trigger musculoskeletal discomfort and disorders like swelling, torn ligaments, and chronic pain.
- Transportation-related injuries. Just as people constantly walk back and forth in a factory, forklifts, golf carts, and other vehicles are always transporting people and cargo. Injuries you might sustain in a vehicle accident can include whiplash, concussions, broken bones, and limb loss.
- Exposure to chemicals and other toxins. Depending on the factory and its byproducts, injuries can include chemical burns, lung damage, skin exposure, smoke inhalation, and other lung damage.
The injuries you suffer as a factory worker can take a serious toll on your life and may do more than prevent you from returning to work. They can keep you from enjoying life in the way you want. If that happens, our law firm can help you go after a financial recovery while you focus on physical recovery.
Report an Injury of Any Severity to Your Employer Right Away
If you are a factory worker who suffered an on-the-job injury, you should report it to your employer as soon as possible. According to South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission (SCWCC) guidelines, you must make the required notification within 90 days of the date you were hurt and file your request for benefits within two years of the injury.
Report your injury to a superior, not to a peer, and request contact information for the physician your employer provides. You are also required to seek medical attention from your employer’s choice of physician.
Meeting the Health Care Needs of Injured Factory Workers
The treatment you receive will depend on the injuries you suffered. They can include:
- Immobilization
- Surgery
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Bones setting
- Prosthetic limb fitting
- Specialized burn treatment
These treatments help injured factory workers recover from injuries like whiplash, concussion, spinal cord damage, repetitive motion injuries, broken bones, and toxic chemical exposure, and reach maximum medical improvement (MMI).
Injured Workers Are Entitled to Collect Workers’ Compensation Benefits
SCWCC guidelines require factories with more than four employees to offer workers’ compensation benefits. Since factories routinely have large workforces, your employer should offer these benefits.
In addition to getting medical care until you reach maximum medical improvement, you may be entitled to collect weekly financial benefits. Most injured workers will receive 66 2/3% of their average wages up to the state’s maximum weekly payout amount. These are the benefit amounts for temporarily disabled workers.
Permanently disabled workers will receive compensation based on their pre-injury income and the type and severity of their injuries. These amounts are based on an almost formulaic schedule that your lawyer will explain to you. He will also ensure you receive the compensation you are entitled to recover and assist you during the entire application process.
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Contact Our Workers’ Compensation Team Today for a Free Consultation
If you or someone you love suffered one or more of the commonly reported injuries among factory workers in South Carolina, you could be entitled to recover workers’ compensation benefits. At Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, we will review your case at no cost or obligation to you and help you apply for medical and financial benefits.
Reach out to one of our workers’ compensation team members for a free review of your injury case today. Our attorneys offer our services on a contingency-fee basis, so we won’t ask for a fee unless and until we settle your case.
