No matter where you are employed, there is probably an employee handbook detailing all the safety procedures you need to keep in mind during your day-to-day tasks, or there are warning signs strewn all throughout the area. Contrary to how it may seem, all of these precautions aren’t necessarily there for your own safety; rather, your employer is trying to avoid liability should anything happen. To make matters worse, you may have heard stories about coworkers getting penalized, or even fired, for reporting an accident-related injury at work.
What are you supposed to do if you are hurt on the job? Should you suffer in silence, or should you file a workers’ compensation claim?
You Deserve Fair Treatment After Your Workplace Injury
In South Carolina, the law requires that an employer provides workers’ compensation benefits if they have more than four employees on staff. Odds are pretty high that you do have workers’ compensation benefits, and it is important to understand why you should not be intimidated or become “job-scared.” You do have the right to report an injury that occurred due to an accident at work without fear of retaliation.
Still, dishonest employers may try to penalize you for speaking up. And they may do it in subtle ways to try to avoid legal repercussions. If you are filing a workers’ compensation claim, your employer or manager may try to punish you by:
- Reducing your hours
- Removing your benefits
- Harassing you into quitting
- Firing you for “another reason”
Team Up with a Workers’ Comp Attorney
No matter what, you do not have to be afraid of any unjust retaliation they might use against you, so long as you have a workers’ compensation lawyer by your side. When you work with a professional, they can ensure not only that you are treated fairly, but also that your claim is constructed on solid evidence to maximize your chances of receiving a beneficial settlement for your injuries.
Without proper representation or choosing not to file a workers' compensation claim, you may sacrifice opportunities for compensation. If you choose to file, your employer cannot terminate your position as an act of retaliation for filing a workers' compensation claim.
You don’t even have to address your employer alone. When you hire a Columbia workers’ comp attorney from the Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr. LLC, we can represent you even before you tell your employer that you intend on filing a workers’ compensation claim. That way you will already be a few steps ahead and on your way to the fair treatment and recovery you deserve. Call 888.302.0714 today to request your free case evaluation.