Often, when you have been hurt on the job, doctors will at first remove you from work entirely while you heal. During this time, you will generally get compensated at 2/3’s of your weekly wages after the first 7 days you are out of work. When the doctor your employer’s workers compensation insurance carrier chose for you determines you are able to go back to work, your benefits end (if not before). What if the doctor allows you to go back to work on light duty though?
If you are offered the opportunity to go to light duty employment by the doctor, you must take it. If you do not, you will lose all workers compensation benefits until you return to work. Fortunately though, if your employer is paying you less than 2/3’s of your weekly wages before the accident, you are entitled to the difference between what you are being paid and that 2/3’s figure, to bridge the gap.
If you feel that you are unable to perform the light duty work assigned, you should contact an attorney to be able to fully exercise your rights at a hearing. At the hearing, the Workers Compensation Commission will review the doctor’s determination and decide whether you are capable of performing the light duty work.
Workers Compensation Lawyers in South Carolina
If you’ve been hurt on the job, contact the experienced workers compensation lawyers at Reeves, Aiken, & Hightower. We know the South Carolina worker’s compensation system and are ready to get you the recovery you deserve. Browse our website, examine our credentials, and compare them to any other firm. Then call us at 877-374-5999 or contact us at this link for a private consultation.