How Does Workers’ Compensation Apply to Healthcare Workers Injured by Patient-Related Incidences or Exposure to Infectious Diseases?
Healthcare workers are tasked with safeguarding the lives of those we love. Sadly, healthcare worker abuse is a real issue, with healthcare employees being five times more likely to experience workplace violence compared to the average worker. When violence is not being resorted to, healthcare workers are still exposed to deadly diseases that place their health in jeopardy.
At Fulton & Barr Attorneys at Law, our Greenville workers’ compensation lawyers are committed to helping medical professionals obtain maximum work benefits. We know that you stop at nothing to fight for your patients, so let us fight for you.
Greenville Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Healthcare workers in Greenville, South Carolina, who have been injured or fallen ill in the scope of their employment may be entitled to the following benefits under workers’ compensation:
Medical Expenses
If you have been injured by a patient or have contracted coronavirus or another infectious disease, you may require medical imaging, laboratory tests, and other specialized care. Under South Carolina’s workers’ compensation, healthcare workers are entitled to compensation for all reasonable and necessary medical expenses related to their work-related injury or illness. Workers’ comp also offers permanent disability benefits, which include coverage for 500 weeks or for life if your injury or ailment has resulted in paraplegia, quadriplegia, or permanent brain damage.
Wage Replacement
Healthcare employees may recover either partial or full wage replacement based on the extent and severity of their injury. Full wage reimbursement is usually two-thirds of a worker’s average weekly wage, with the state setting a weekly cap of $1,134.43 as of January 1, 2025.
Death Benefits
A deceased worker’s family will be eligible to receive 66 2/3% of the employee’s average weekly wages for 500 weeks, in addition to $12,000 for burial expenses and coverage of all reasonable and necessary medical expenses following the employee’s injury or diagnosis. Under SC Code §42-9-130, the division of death benefits will depend on the level of dependency of the surviving family members.
Providing Tenacious Representation to the Healthcare Community
We all know that emotions run high in a hospital or medical setting. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the matter, leading to healthcare workers being a prime target for physical attacks, threats, and verbal abuse. At Fulton & Barr Attorneys at Law, our team of professionals does not back down from a fight. We admire healthcare workers for their perseverance during this trying time, but we adamantly believe that you should be fully compensated for your hardship. Nothing pleases us more than assisting healthcare workers in filing work claims to secure the resources they need to make a complete physical recovery.
Injured Healthcare Worker? Contact Our Greenville Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Today
As an individual who has devoted your life to helping people, you deserve the utmost respect for your unwavering sacrifice. Unfortunately, healthcare workers are often not given the recognition that they rightfully deserve. Between acts of patient hostility and the spread of infectious disease, healthcare workers may find themselves in a financially precarious position. Thankfully, our Greenville workers’ compensation attorneys have helped hundreds of workers in the medical community and are ready to help you.
At Fulton & Barr Attorneys at Law, we provide aggressive representation to our country’s healthcare workers. From gathering medical evidence to negotiating for maximum benefits, we manage every workers’ comp case from start to finish. Let us put our knowledge to work for you. To learn more or arrange your free consultation, contact us online or by phone today.