When you suffer a workplace injury in South Carolina, you might assume your compensation claim depends solely on your medical bills, medical care, and weekly wage loss. However, South Carolina Workers’ Compensation law is much more detailed. Central to the process is the Workers’ Compensation Injury Chart, also called the Scheduled Member Chart, which plays a major role in calculating compensation benefits, especially in permanent disability or partial disability cases.
Understanding how this chart affects your claim for compensation is crucial,especially when insurance companies try to minimize compensation payable or push low impairment ratings. If you’re an injured employee dealing with permanent injury, low medical improvement, or unclear compensation payments, this guide will help.
What Is the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Injury Chart?
The Injury Chart,found in South Carolina Code § 42-9-30,is a legal table assigning specific compensation body coverage to injuries of certain single body parts. It defines how long an injured body part is covered for weekly compensation payments, helping standardize compensation claim payouts across similar injuries. For example, a permanent impairment to your hand or arm is compensated differently than a toe or finger. These charts help compensation carriers and compensation attorneys determine payment of compensation under compensation law and determine entitlement to compensation.
Chart Breakdown – Body Part Weekly Compensation Periods
| Body Part | Weeks of Compensation |
| Thumb | 65 weeks |
| First Finger | 40 weeks |
| Second Finger | 35 weeks |
| Hand | 185 weeks |
| Arm | 220 weeks |
| Leg | 195 weeks |
| Eye | 140 weeks |
| Hearing (one ear) | 80 weeks |
| Back (whole) | 300 weeks |
| Total Disability | 500 weeks |
Each of these periods of time is multiplied by your impairment rating and weekly wage to calculate your permanent disability benefits or partial compensation.
How Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) Compensation Is Calculated
PPD compensation is a type of compensation coverage available when a medical professional determines a permanent injury but not total disability. Using the formula:
Impairment Rating × Scheduled Weeks × Compensation Rate = Total PPD
Example: Impairment Rating: 25% loss of use of arm Arm Schedule: 220 weeks Weekly Wage: $800 → Compensation Rate = $533 Total = 55 weeks × $533 = $29,315
That amount may be offered as a lump-sum settlement or weekly installments of compensation.
What If Multiple Body Parts Are Injured?
Multiple scheduled injuries increase your entitlement to compensation, but compensation insurance may cap compensation payments. If the injury by accident causes full body impairment, such as brain damage, paralysis, or vision loss in both eyes, you may qualify for Permanent Total Disability (PTD) up to 500 weeks.
Unscheduled Injuries and Loss of Earning Capacity
Some injuries,like mental injuries, internal organ damage, or head trauma,aren’t on the chart. These require a Loss of Earning Capacity evaluation. In such cases, vocational rehab, functional evaluations, and medical supplies are critical to your claim for compensation.
Why Impairment Ratings Matter
An impairment rating from a licensed medical provider directly affects how much compensation payable you’re entitled to. Insurance companies may push low ratings to reduce payment of compensation. Requesting an Independent Medical Examination (IME) or second opinion is essential if you suspect under-evaluation.
Disputes and Challenges with the Chart
The chart doesn’t always account for job-specific limitations. For example:
- A crushed hand may end a mechanic’s career.
- A burn injury could lead to lasting partial disability.
- Emotional trauma and mental injuries aren’t included.
These gaps often require a comp attorney or comp lawyer to file an appeal or request a hearing before the Workers’ Compensation Commission.
Steps to Take After a Workplace Injury
- Report the Injury Immediately to your employer.
- Seek Treatment from an authorized health care provider.
- Document Everything,symptoms, medical expenses, treatments, physical therapy sessions.
- Get Your impairment rating from your doctor.
- Review the Scheduled Chart under compensation law.
- Consult a comp lawyer,especially for severe injury or long-term disability.
Common Workplace Injuries Eligible for Scheduled Compensation
- Crushed fingers from machinery
- Burn injuries on arms and legs
- Foot injuries from warehouse accidents
- Hearing loss due to loud equipment
- Vision loss due to chemical exposure
- Broken arms or legs from falls
Even if your injury appears straightforward, your comp claim might be undervalued by insurance companies without legal review.
The Risk of Accepting a Low Settlement
Often, insurance companies will propose a compensation settlement based only on the impairment rating and weekly wage, without considering future limitations or types of benefits like vocational rehab or long-term disability. A comp attorney can review whether your compensation coverage is fair or if you deserve more.
Don’t Navigate This Alone – Talk to a Compensation Lawyer
Dealing with compensation liability, compensation payments, and medical improvement without guidance can leave you underpaid and unprotected. If you or a loved one has experienced a workplace injury in South Carolina, the Ted Law Firm is here to help.
We’ll analyze your medical benefits, your compensation insurance, and your impairment rating to ensure you’re getting the full compensation benefits the law allows. Contact Ted Law Firm today for a free consultation. We proudly serve clients across all of South Carolina and Georgia including Charleston, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, and Atlanta. No matter where you are in either state, we’re here to help. And remember: you don’t pay a dime unless we win your case. There’s no risk, just experienced support from a team you can trust. You’re in good hands with Ted Law Firm.
Attorney Ted Sink, founder of The Ted Law Firm, is a Yale, Stanford Business School, and Charleston School of Law graduate and former marketing executive who built a 7-figure law practice, earning millions for his clients. With experience in both law and advertising, Ted has been recognized in Forbes, Entrepreneur, and the ABA Journal. He speaks at industry conferences on marketing and law firm management, sharing insights from his unique background to help other firms grow. When not working, Ted enjoys traveling, diving, and dog-sitting golden retrievers.
