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    In South Carolina, thousands of workers suffer on-the-job injuries every year, including painful soft tissue injuries, like muscle strains, ligament sprains, and tendon tears. These injuries can occur suddenly or develop over time due to repetitive stress. They often affect the shoulders, knees, lower back, and even ankles. Fortunately, South Carolina’s workers’ compensation system provides medical treatment, wage replacement, and long-term benefits to help injured employees recover. However, qualifying for the benefits you need is not always straightforward.

    If you’ve been injured at work, the experienced South Carolina workers’ compensation attorneys at Joye Law Firm are here for you. Since 1968, we’ve helped injured workers secure the

    full benefits available under SC workers’ compensation law, including medical treatment, temporary disability benefits, and permanent disability payments. We have wide range of experiences and have achieved numerous significant settlements for injured workers with soft tissue injuries.

    Every workers’ comp case stands on its own and past results are not predictive of future cases. But our record of successful results and testimonials from former clients do reflect our extensive experience handling workers’ compensation cases and the effort we make on behalf of our clients.

    Call or contact our firm today for a free case review. Our experienced legal team will walk you through your rights, explain your options, and help you determine whether hiring an attorney is the right move for your situation. If you choose to move forward with us, you’ll be protected by our No Fee Guarantee, meaning we don’t collect any attorney fees unless we win your case.

    What Are Strains, Sprains, and Tears?

    Soft tissue injuries involve damage to the muscles, tendons, or ligaments. Here’s how they differ:

    • Strains: Injuries to muscles or tendons caused by overstretching or overuse.
    • Sprains: Injuries to ligaments, connective tissues that stabilize joints, often from twisting or impact.
    • Tears: More severe injuries that may involve partial or full rupture of a tendon, muscle, or ligament. They often require surgery.

    Symptoms typically include pain, swelling, bruising, stiffness, and limited range of motion. In severe cases, such as ankle sprains, or rotator cuff tears, surgical repair and extended rehabilitation may be necessary.

    Are Soft Tissue Injuries Serious Injuries?

    Soft tissue injuries such as sprains and strains are often assumed to be less serious than other types of injuries a worker may suffer on the job, such as broken bones. Some strained muscles heal in few days. But soft tissue injuries also can be serious enough to require corrective surgery. Tear injuries require time off work to repair the damage and restore normal mobility and strength, especially when the injury is unlikely to heal on its own.

    Most people can make a complete recovery from a strain or sprain injury with prescribed rest and physical rehabilitation. Even more serious injuries can usually be fixed to the point that an injured person can make a full recovery.

    However, when soft tissue injuries are not properly treated, the injury can develop permanent complications, including

    • Chronic pain
    • Muscle weakness
    • Reduced mobility
    • Permanent joint instability

    That’s why it’s crucial to seek medical attention immediately and follow your doctor’s treatment plan, including  any necessary physical therapy, bracing, or surgery.

    How Long Does It Take to Recover from a Strain, Sprain, or Tear?

    The recovery time for a strain, sprain, or tears depends on several factors, such as the type of injury, the location of the injury, the severity of the injury, and the treatment required to address the injury. Depending on these factors, the recovery from strain or tear injuries can take anywhere from a few days to several months.

    Minor soft tissue injuries may heal in a few days with rest, ice, compression, and elevation (also known as the RICE method. More serious sprains or tears can take weeks or months, particularly if surgical intervention is needed. Planning and preparing for surgery can take several days to several weeks. The post-surgical recovery may involve weeks or months of physical therapy to regain strength and stability in the affected area.

    If you suffered an injury on the job, you may be entitled to seek workers’ compensation benefits that will pay for the medical treatment and provide partial replacement of your wages if you need to miss time from work during your recovery.

    Are Strains, Sprains, and Tears Covered by Workers’ Compensation?

    After a work-related strain, sprain, or tear, you may be entitled to file for workers’ compensation benefits. These soft tissue injuries, often affecting areas like the ankle, shoulder, knee or lower back, can occur suddenly or develop over time due to repetitive movements. Reporting the injury to your employer as soon as possible and seeking medical attention is critical to protecting your rights.

    When Is a Soft Tissue Injury Covered? ankle knee foot injury

    To qualify for workers’ compensation in South Carolina, your injury must have occurred within the course and scope of your employment. In simple terms, this means the injury happened while you were performing work-related duties.

    If, for example, you slipped and fell at work and you immediately experience pain, discomfort, or mobility issues, it’s easier to connect that incident directly to your job. Promptly reporting the accident and obtaining a medical diagnosis, such as a muscle strain, ligament sprain, or tendon tear, can strengthen your claim for workers’ comp benefits.

    However, delays in reporting your injury or seeking care can complicate your case. If your employer isn’t made aware of the incident soon after it happens, they may dispute whether your injury was truly work-related. Plus, the law limits the amount of time you have to file a claim. That’s why it’s so important to notify your employer of any injury, discomfort, or unusual pain-even if it seems minor at first.

    Repetitive Motion Injuries and Workers’ Compensation

    Not all work-related injuries result from a single traumatic event. Repetitive stress injuries, such as those caused by constant lifting, standing, or performing the same motions day after day, can also lead to sprains, strains, and soft tissue tears. These injuries may take time to manifest but are no less serious than sudden accidents.

    Workers’ compensation may cover these types of injuries, but proving they are job-related often requires medical documentation linking your condition to repetitive tasks at work. At Joye Law Firm, our South Carolina workers’ compensation lawyers can help you build a strong case by ensuring your medical records, diagnostic reports, and work history clearly support your claim.

    Protect Your Rights – Act Quickly

    Under South Carolina law, you must report a workplace injury to your employer within 90 days of the incident or the onset of symptoms. Whether your injury was caused by a single accident or developed over time through repetitive motion, early reporting and proper documentation are key to obtaining the full benefits you deserve.

    Even if you did not immediately report your injury, you can still seek compensation with the help of our experienced legal team. SC workers’ compensation law typically allows injured workers’ a two-year statute of limitations deadline to bring a claim. We can evaluate your situation, gather medical evidence, and build a strong case to show that your injury is work-related, even if symptoms appeared gradually or you initially underestimated their seriousness. In many cases, soft tissue injuries worsen over time, and what starts as a mild ache can develop into a debilitating condition. Don’t assume it’s too late, contact Joye Law Firm today for guidance and advocacy you can trust.

    Why You Need a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

    Navigating the South Carolina workers’ compensation system can be complex.  South Carolina workers’ comp covers not only 100 percent of the cost of your medical treatments, but it also covers partial wage replacement and reimbursement for mileage incurred going to the doctor’s office or the pharmacy.

    Hiring a workers’ compensation attorney can be a game-changer, since the workers’ compensation system is complicated, and insurers work to reduce payouts as much as possible. But not all lawyers are built for it. An experienced lawyer can fight a denied claim, represent your best interests, handle all the necessary paperwork, and guide you through the legal process to ensure nothing gets overlooked.

    Contact a South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Attorney

    If you have suffered a sprain or strain or another soft tissue injury on the job, contact Joye Law Firm for a free, no-obligation consultation with a knowledgeable workers’ compensation attorney. We’ll review your options and explain how we can help you pursue the financial benefits and resources you need to treat your injury and get back to work.

    At Joye Law Firm, we are committed to serving our clients and supporting the South Carolina communities where we live and work. Our firm’s “Joye in the Community” program includes our annual college scholarship program and fundraising initiatives for the many charities and causes close to our heart.

    To make access to qualified legal representation more convenient, we have offices in North Charleston, Summerville, Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Greenville, Columbia, and Clinton and represent clients throughout the state. If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you. Give us a call at (888) 324-3100 or contact us online.

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    Attorneys at Joye Law Firm's Myrtle Beach office