If you are injured at work and have to take time off to recover, you are entitled to receive compensation for your lost wages through the laws enforced by the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission.1 If you qualify, you can receive weekly checks for partial wage loss, which can help cover your expenses and bills until you are able to return to work. While these checks can be helpful, it may often still be difficult to keep up with your bills and stay within your budget on the weekly benefit checks. For this reason, if the workers’ compensation company offers you a lump-sum payment, you may be tempted to accept it right away. There are a few things you should know before accepting a settlement, however. First, your weekly benefits will end once you receive the lump-sum payment. This is true even if you have a later flare-up or complication from your injury. You will be unlikely to receive benefit checks for this injury in the future. While a lump-sum payment may seem like a lot of money at the time, companies often try to offer less than the full value of your case. If you do not know how to accurately value your case, you could miss out on many benefits to which you are actually entitled. An experienced attorney can help you value your case to decide whether a settlement offer is sufficient or if you should negotiate for a higher amount or continue with weekly benefits. Discuss your situation with a dedicated workers’ compensation attorney as soon as possible While you would like to think that...
