Common Workers’ Compensation Injuries in North and South Carolina

As a workers’ compensation attorney who helps people injured on the job, I’ve seen how a workplace accident can change a person’s life in an instant. One moment, you’re focused on your tasks, and the next, you’re dealing with an injury, medical appointments, and uncertainty about your next paycheck. The North Carolina and South Carolina workers’ compensation systems are in place to provide a safety net for injured workers.

Many people are surprised to learn that it’s not just injuries from a sudden accident that might qualify for benefits; many of the most common workers’ compensation injuries are those that develop slowly over months or even years.

What Is a Workers’ Comp Injury?

Before we explore specific injuries, it’s helpful to understand what workers’ compensation generally covers. In both NC and SC, a workplace injury is typically defined as an injury or illness that happens in the course and scope of employment. This simply means the injury occurred while you were performing your job duties. Following is an interactive chart which dispalys common causes of workplace injuries within specific industries.

The workers’ compensation system is designed to provide benefits — such as payment for medical treatment and partial replacement of lost wages — to most people who get hurt or ill at work. The focus is on the connection between your work and your injury.

Injuries From a Single Workplace Accident

Many on-the-job injuries are the result of a single, unexpected event. These are often what people first think of when they hear about workplace accidents. They are sudden, traumatic, and can be quite serious.

Slips, Trips, and Falls

Falls are a leading cause of injuries across many industries, from construction sites in Greenville to retail stores in Charlotte. A wet floor, an uneven surface, or a cluttered walkway can lead to a serious fall. These accidents frequently result in:

• Broken bones or fractures
• Severe sprains and ligament tears
• Head injuries, including concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Back and spinal cord injuries

These injuries often require immediate medical attention and can involve a long recovery period, sometimes preventing a return to the same type of work.

Struck-By or Caught-In-Between Accidents

In industrial, warehouse, and construction settings, the risk of being struck by an object or caught in machinery is a daily reality. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) identifies “struck-by object” as one of the leading causes of death in the construction industry. These incidents can involve falling materials, moving vehicles like forklifts, or accidents where a worker’s body part gets caught in or between heavy equipment.

The results can be devastating and might include crush injuries, internal organ damage, and amputations. These are among the most severe and life-altering common workers’ compensation injuries.

Back and Spinal Cord Injuries

Back injuries are incredibly frequent in the workplace. They can happen suddenly from lifting an object that is too heavy or lifting with improper technique. A fall from a ladder or scaffolding can also cause immediate and severe damage to the back and spinal cord.

These injuries range from muscle strains and herniated discs to catastrophic spinal cord damage resulting in paralysis. Even a seemingly minor back injury can lead to chronic pain and limitations that affect your ability to work and live your life normally.

Burns and Electrocutions

Workers in restaurants, manufacturing plants, and those who work with electrical systems face the risk of burns. These can be thermal burns from hot surfaces or liquids, chemical burns from corrosive substances, or electrical burns from contact with live wires. Severe burns are not only painful but also carry a high risk of infection and can require extensive medical procedures like skin grafts.

Injuries That Develop Over Time

Not all work injuries are dramatic. Many develop slowly, becoming progressively worse until they are debilitating. Because there isn’t a single event to point to, people sometimes question whether these conditions qualify for workers’ compensation. In many cases, they do.

Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs)

A repetitive strain injury, also called a repetitive motion injury, happens when you perform the same physical motion over and over again. This repeated stress can cause damage to muscles, tendons, and nerves. I often speak with people who have developed these conditions from jobs that require constant, repeated actions.

Some common examples of RSIs include:

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: This condition affects the hand and wrist and is common among office workers who spend all day typing, as well as assembly line workers who make the same hand motions repeatedly.
• Tendonitis: Inflammation of a tendon, often seen in workers who lift, push, or use vibrating tools throughout their shift
• Bursitis: Inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs that cushion the joints, frequently affecting the shoulders, elbows, and knees of workers in physically demanding jobs.

These conditions might start as minor aches but can become a source of chronic pain that makes performing your job impossible without medical intervention.

Overexertion Injuries

According to the National Safety Council, overexertion is a leading cause of workplace injuries. This category includes injuries from lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, or carrying objects. These actions can lead to muscle strains and sprains, particularly in the back and shoulders. While a single instance of overexertion can cause an acute injury, the cumulative effect of these activities day after day can also lead to chronic pain and tissue damage. Many people in physically demanding roles, such as nursing, construction, and warehouse logistics, endure these types of injuries.

Occupational Illnesses and Exposures

Another category of workers’ compensation injuries involves illnesses that develop due to exposure to hazardous conditions or substances in the workplace. These cases can be complex because the illness might not appear for years after the exposure occurred.

Hearing Loss

Workers who are consistently exposed to loud noise from machinery or equipment can experience gradual, permanent hearing loss. Industries like manufacturing, aviation, and construction present a high risk for noise-induced hearing loss. This is a real, compensable condition under workers’ compensation laws in the Carolinas.

Respiratory Conditions

Inhaling dust, chemicals, or toxic fumes can cause serious and sometimes fatal lung diseases. For example, exposure to asbestos can lead to mesothelioma and asbestosis, while breathing in silica dust from cutting concrete or stone can cause silicosis.

Other workers might develop occupational asthma from exposure to irritants in the workplace. OSHA provides extensive resources on these preventable but serious conditions.

Work-Related Stress and Mental Health Conditions

This is an especially complicated area. In North Carolina and South Carolina, claims for a purely psychological injury (like anxiety from a stressful job) are generally very difficult to pursue successfully. However, when a worker develops a psychological condition as a direct result of a serious physical work injury, it might be compensable.

For example, someone who endures a traumatic amputation might develop depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In these situations, the mental health treatment may be covered as part of the overall workers’ compensation claim.

Why Documenting Common Workers’ Compensation Injuries Is Important

Regardless of how your injury occurred, taking the right steps afterward is crucial. The workers’ compensation system has strict rules and deadlines that must be followed. Failing to do so could jeopardize your ability to receive potential benefits you may need.

Your three most important responsibilities are:

1. Report the Injury: You must report your injury to your employer. In North Carolina, you should provide written notice within 30 days. In South Carolina, the general rule is to provide notice within 90 days. It is often best to report it immediately.
2. Seek Medical Treatment: Getting a medical evaluation is essential not only for your health but also to create a record that documents the connection between your work and your injury. Follow your doctor’s treatment plan carefully.
3. File a Workers’ Comp Claim: An attorney can help you adhere to your state’s deadlines and guidelines for filing.

The agencies that oversee these processes are the North Carolina Industrial Commission and the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission. Their websites provide forms and information, but the process can be difficult for anyone, let alone someone who is already dealing with the stress of an injury. A workers’ compensation attorney can help guide you through the requirements and fight for the full benefits you might be owed.

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