When Rick, a longtime maintenance supervisor at a manufacturing facility in the Upstate of South Carolina, suffered a catastrophic injury on the job, he turned to Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers for help. Attorney Davis Rice of our Greenville office and Case Manager Javonna Brantley stepped in to guide him through a complex and emotionally challenging workers’ compensation claim. Their relentless advocacy ultimately led to a significant settlement and critical long-term protections that will support him for the rest of his life.
Machine Malfunction Leads to Life-Alerting Hand Injury and Psychological Trauma
Rick had been with his employer for years and was deeply familiar with the equipment he serviced, he had even helped install it. On this particular day, in an effort to fix a production issue, he bypassed the machine’s lockout/tagout mechanism, an essential safety feature that prevents machinery from turning on during maintenance. Despite instructing a nearby coworker not to activate the machine, it was accidentally turned on.
In an instant, Rick’s left hand was pulled into the industrial rollers, resulting in a traumatic degloving injury. He was immediately transported to a nearby Emergency Department in Laurens County, where doctors made the difficult decision to amputate four fingers (index through pinky), leaving his left hand with only his thumb. The injury required multiple surgeries, including a skin graft from his leg to replace the lost skin on his hand. Once his wounds had healed sufficiently, Rick was given a myoelectric prosthesis, a highly advanced and expensive device that uses electrical signals from the brain to control hand movement.
In addition to Rick’s physical injuries, he was experiencing crippling psychological trauma as well. His wife, a registered nurse, was a powerful advocate and caretaker during the most difficult stages of his healing. She explained to our team that when his nurse would undo the bandage, he would scream, not only in agony but from the trauma associated with losing his fingers and the use of his hand.
Attorney Rice went to bat for his client, requesting psychological counseling. “I told the adjustor, ‘hey, this guy is dealing with a lot, this isn’t a typical injury, and he deserves treatment for the trauma he has endured.’ After receiving a referral from his hand surgeon, Rick was granted counseling covered by workers’ compensation.
Fighting for Full Care and Recognition of All Injuries
S
everal months into recovery, Rick began experiencing significant pain in his left shoulder. At first, it went unnoticed, overshadowed by the severity of his hand injury. An MRI later revealed a torn rotator cuff, likely caused by the forceful jerk of the machine during the incident.
Initially, the workers’ comp insurer denied the shoulder injury as part of Rick’s claim, citing the length of time it took to report the injury and arguing that it was not caused by the initial accident.
In workers’ compensation claims, each body part is assigned a value based on a number of weeks. This number is the basis for the calculation the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC) uses to determine settlement amounts. For Rick, that meant his hand was worth 185 weeks, while his shoulder was worth 300 weeks. Including both dramatically increased the potential settlement value.
Attorney Rice requested a hearing before the Workers’ Compensation Commission, which not only enabled legal review of the denial but also increased pressure on the insurer. The strategy paid off, and the opposing council granted permission to include the shoulder before the hearing was scheduled to take place, a huge win for our client.
The combination of both injuries, Rick’s salary before the accident, and his impairment ratings: 67% for his hand and 9% for his shoulder, resulted in a $310,000 settlement.
Lifetime Prosthetic Care By Leaving Future Medical Care Open
One of the most important victories in Rick’s case wasn’t just the $310,000 settlement, it was the preservation of his right to lifetime medical care, including ongoing maintenance and replacement of his myoelectric prosthesis. This device had already required manufacturer repairs twice during the time between when he received it and the case was closed.
The insurance carrier wanted to close the file and end medical payments altogether through a “clincher” settlement. But after careful discussions with Rick and his family, Attorney Rice advised against it. They recognized that without open medical coverage, Rick would be financially responsible for all future prosthetic issues, a potentially devastating burden given the high cost of such devices.
Our Client Returns to His Previous Job
Despite the trauma, Rick returned to work just 8 months after the accident, an incredible feat given the nature of his condition.
“Throughout the process, Rick never complained,” recalls Attorney Rice. “A U.S. Air Force veteran, he approached everything with humility and gratitude. He was focused on healing and determined to get back to work.”
Rick earned maximum wage benefits while out of work and continued to serve the company he had worked for most of his life. Receiving a settlement of this size after having an injured worker return to the job where they were injured is very rare. Attorney Rice successfully argued that while his client was able to return to his original employment, his highly specialized skills made him functionally unemployable elsewhere. If the company were to close or downsize, Rick’s expertise wouldn’t translate to another employer. That argument, along with his significant physical and emotional hardship, helped secure the total and permanent disability designation at mediation.
Injured on the Job? Just Call Joye, Our Award-Winning Attorneys Are Ready to Help
Without legal advocacy, Rick’s case might have settled for just $60,000–$100,000 with no shoulder treatment and no future medical coverage. But with the guidance of Joye Law Firm, he received over three times that amount, plus protection for his long-term health needs.
If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic injury on the job, you don’t have to navigate the system alone. Insurance companies often move quickly to settle claims for as little as possible, but having an experienced advocate in your corner can make all the difference. At Joye Law Firm, we’ve been fighting for South Carolina’s injured workers since 1968, and we’re here to help you, too.
Our team includes leaders in the field of workers’ compensation law. Attorney Davis Rice, who serves on the Board of Injured Workers’ Advocates, South Carolina’s premier organization for claimant attorneys, is one of several attorneys at our firm actively involved in shaping the future of workers’ compensation in the state.
Matt Jackson, Head of our Workers’ Compensation Department, served as President of Injured Workers’ Advocates in 2019 and remains on its Executive Committee. In 2024, he was selected for recognition as “Lawyer of the Year” for Workers’ Compensation Law in Charleston by Best Lawyers in America.
Ken Harrell, our Managing Partner, sits on the Board of Directors for the Workers’ Compensation Educational Association and is a Past President of Injured Workers’ Advocates, where he has co-chaired the legislative affairs committee for over a decade.
We are proud of our legacy, and proud to offer free consultations to injured workers. Plus, our No Fee Guarantee means, you won’t pay us anything unless we recover money for you.
Let us level the playing field and fight for the compensation and care you deserve. Contact Joye Law Firm today to schedule your free consultation.
Disclaimer: Past results do not guarantee future results.
