It started as an ordinary day on the job for a maintenance worker at a Columbia, SC apartment complex. After years of hard work, he was used to tackling the tough tasks his day would throw at him. However, when his employer asked him to move a heavy couch by himself, what should have been a quick job turned into a life-altering event.
On that fateful day, the worker informed his employer that they were short-staffed and that he would not be able to lift the oversized furniture by himself. His employer did not care, however, and told the worker that he needed to get the couch moved immediately or he may lose his job. Faced with an impossible choice, the worker did as ordered and attempted to move the large couch. As the worker began to lift and drag the large piece of furniture, his foot slipped and he fell backwards into a nearby wall. The worker felt a sharp “pop” on impact and, in an instant, his back gave out. The pain was immediate and severe, and the worker fell to the floor. He knew that he had been hurt, badly, but what he didn’t realize in that moment was that this injury would rob him of his ability to return to work ever again.
A Hardworking Man Pushed Past His Physical Limits
At 61 years old, Charles* had spent his whole life doing physical labor. Although he’d left school around ninth grade, he’d proudly carved out a comfortable living made possible through his impeccable work ethic and skill with his hands. After his fall, however, he faced a reality that no one wants to confront – his body simply couldn’t do what it once could. The back injury, though “non-surgical” in medical terms, left him with permanent restrictions on lifting, bending, and standing for long periods of time. For someone who made a living through manual labor, those restrictions were career-ending.
When the insurance company reviewed his case, they offered only $28,400.00 to Charles for his injury. This amount was barely enough to cover his immediate medical expenses, let alone the years of future income he would never be able to work for and earn due to his injury.
Attorney Brian R. Holmes Takes Over the Case After Low Initial Offer
When Charles came to Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers, he felt defeated. The workers’ comp insurance company had minimized his pain, and the system felt impossible to navigate. But Attorney Brian R. Holmes saw something different. He saw an honest, industrious man who had worked hard his whole life and deserved justice for being pushed beyond safe limits.
Atty. Holmes immediately recognized that the key to this case wasn’t just the medical diagnosis; it was Charles’ life story. Losing the ability to do physical labor meant losing his entire livelihood. With no computer skills, limited reading ability, and no experience outside blue-collar work, Charles had virtually no options for viable employment.
“Removing him from manual labor was like removing him from the workforce entirely,” Atty. Holmes explained. “There wasn’t a single employer who was going to hire a 64-year-old man who couldn’t lift or stand for long periods of time, especially not when there are thousands of younger workers who can.”
Building the Case for Total and Permanent Disability
At first, Charles was skeptical. Fearful for his future and intimidated by what he was up against, he felt worn down and wanted to take the initial offer just to move on. Atty. Holmes encouraged patience. “He was frustrated with the delays,” Holmes said. “I had to remind him that preparation was key, that doing it right the first time would make a real difference.”
Atty. Holmes and Case Manager Eden Fields worked meticulously to build Charles’ case. They arranged a functional capacity evaluation to document his physical limitations, secured an independent medical exam to confirm he wasn’t a surgical candidate, and coordinated vocational assessments from both sides to prove that his educational background and skill set left him unemployable in any realistic capacity.
Each step added crucial weight to the argument that this was not just a minor back strain, but a permanent, life-altering disability.
Turning a $28,000.00 Offer into a $145,000.00 Workers’ Comp Settlement
When negotiations finally reached mediation, the insurance company was forced to confront the full truth of the case. Atty. Holmes had transformed what they had written off as a “simple back injury” into undeniable evidence of total workforce exclusion.
After hours of negotiation, the workers’ comp case settled for $145,000.00, more than five times the insurer’s original offer. Charles walked away relieved, validated, and grateful – not just for the money, but for having someone who believed in him when no one else did.
Justice for South Carolina’s Working Class
This case stands as a powerful reminder that not all injuries are visible and not all justice is measured in medical charts. Sometimes, it takes a lawyer who sees the whole person to tell the full story.
At Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers, we’ve been standing up for injured South Carolinians since 1968. From construction workers to healthcare professionals, we know that every injury carries a human cost, and we fight to make sure that cost is never ignored.
If you or someone you love has been injured at work and are unsure of your rights, call Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation. Our No Fee Guarantee means you won’t owe us anything unless we win your case.
Disclaimer: Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
*Client’s name has been changed to protect his identity.
