One million workers receive emergency treatment each year for hand injuries. These injuries result in 110,000 workers losing time at work. (SSOE, Hand Safety and Injury Prevention). A career-changing injury can happen in an instant. It can impact all aspects of your life and daily activities.
Hand and Finger Injuries in the Workplace
You may receive workers’ compensation for a hand or finger injury in the workplace. An injured worker may receive benefits for medical care, lost income, and permanent disability.
Bobby Jones is a Greenville, SC, workers’ compensation attorney who can help with hand and finger injury cases. Let him assist you if you suffer a hand and finger injury at work. Contact us today to start your case.
Types of Hand and Finger Injuries in the Workplace
- Fractures
- Loss of digit/amputation
- Puncture
- Crushing
- Burns
- Dislocations
- Cuts
- Chemical exposure
- Nerve damage
Hand injuries can have several causes in the workplace. The hand or finger may be crushed between two heavy objects or underneath a piece of equipment. The hand or finger may be pinched. Thermal and chemical burns can damage the body. Loss of a body part may occur completely, or loss of function may occur.
Workers’ Compensation for Hand and Finger Injuries on the Job
If you hurt your hand or finger on the job, you may receive the following:
- Paid medical care
- Replacement income
- Permanent physical impairment compensation
You may receive medical care until you reach the maximum medical improvement. You do not have to pay for medical treatment if you use a provider chosen by your employer. If you are unable to work, you may receive a percentage of your average pay as replacement income. Finally, you deserve to be compensated for the permanent impairment that remains following medical treatment.
Permanent physical impairment compensation for a hand or finger injury
For hand and finger injuries in the workplace, it’s common for disability to continue following the completion of medical treatment. Even the best medical care cannot always restore a person to perfect health. Injuries like fractures and crushing often leave lasting disabilities. Certainly, an amputation changes the life of the victim forever.
Permanent loss of function is compensated in the South Carolina workers’ compensation system. S.C. Code § 42-9-30 discusses the number of weeks of compensation available for injuries to the hand and fingers:
- Thumb – 65 weeks
- 1st finger – 40 weeks
- 2nd finger – 35 weeks
- 3rd finger – 25 weeks
- 4th/pinky finger – 20 weeks
- Hand – 185 weeks
Loss of the first phalange of the thumb or finger is considered half the loss of the digit. The person receives compensation for half the time period.
The compensation that you receive is the number of weeks that is assigned to that finger or the hand, multiplied by two-thirds of the person’s calculated average weekly wage. If you have received a medical or disability impairment rating, you can challenge it if you disagree with the given rating.
Legal Issues in Hand and Finger Injury Claims
If you hurt your hand or finger at work, there may be several issues and challenges that arise in getting the compensation you deserve. A lawyer may assist you with any of the following:
- Fighting a low medical or disability impairment rating
- Taking your case to a hearing and presenting evidence
- Proving that your injury is work related
- Calculating your average weekly wage
- Claiming the appropriate benefits if you have multiple injuries
- Filing the paperwork and gathering the evidence
- Answering your questions throughout the process
If the insurance company doesn’t voluntarily pay what you deserve, you have the right to take your case to a hearing.
As your lawyer, Bobby Jones ensures that your claim is filed properly so that legal technicalities don’t prevent you from getting compensation. He focuses on proving your right to benefits and sees that the benefits are correctly calculated. He works to maximize the amount of compensation to reflect the true severity of your injury.
Get legal help – talk to a lawyer now
Robert “Bobby” Jones can assist you if you have hurt your hand or finger while at work and you need guidance on where to start your recovery. He is dedicated to helping injured workers navigate the South Carolina workers’ compensation system.
To get legal help, contact our law firm. Wherever you are in the process, our lawyer can help you reach your legal goals. Contact us now for a consultation and to begin.
