Workers’ Compensation is designed to protect both employees and employers and most of the time, the system works – though with a few hiccups. But if your employer disputes your claim, you’re starting the process with a fight.
Dealing with an uncooperative employer will make it infinitely harder to secure the benefits you need in order to recover from your workplace injuries and it usually sets a grim scene, full of uncomfortable conversations with your bosses and fear for your job. However, working with an experienced South Carolina Workers’ Compensation attorney can help you move through the process confident that someone is looking out for your rights and working to protect you from further financial harm.
The skilled South Carolina Workers’ Compensation team at George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers will do everything possible to resolve employer disputes and will fight for your writes as an employee if those negotiations aren’t successful.
There are several reasons employers will dispute your claim.
- Financial
Workers’ Compensation in South Carolina is an insurance-based system. That means your employer’s premiums can increase if he or she has a claim. If other employees made claims earlier in the same year or if your claim is likely to be a large one, your employer might dispute it out of greed for worry that the company’s Workers’ Comp premiums will go up the following year or that the business will be deemed high-risk and have trouble getting coverage at all. - Reputation
Many employers pride themselves on pristine safety records. Your workplace injury could tarnish an otherwise good record in the industry. Depending on the type of work you do and the type of business you work in, safety records can be extremely important. Workplace injury reports can get businesses in trouble with industry regulators if your employer has too many of them or can alert regulators to watch your employer more closely even if there haven’t been many reported incidents. Your employer could be disputing your claim in an effort to preserve the business’ reputation. - Skepticism
Some employers are just tough. They believe people make too much out of little injuries and they don’t realize how serious something seemingly mild like carpel tunnel syndrome can be if it’s not treated. The will dispute workplace injuries and illness because they don’t think they’re a big deal. - It could be you
Finally, many employers dispute South Carolina Workers’ Compensation claims because they don’t have faith in the employee making them. They might question your character and argue that you’re “faking it” to get benefits and time off from work.
A good South Carolina Workers’ Compensation attorney can overcome any of these reasons and any other less common excuses for employer disputes of Workers’ Comp claims.
In the end, if you were hurt at work, it doesn’t matter how your employer feels about it or why. You deserve Workers’ Comp benefits and you only have one opportunity to get them. Your injury could haunt you the rest of your life and you don’t want to miss the one chance you have at getting the medical attention and time to heal you need.
George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers offers a free case evaluation that will help you understand your rights and your options.