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Injured at work? We fight for your medical care, lost wages, and disability benefits. No upfront fees—we only get paid if you win.
North Charleston runs on heavy industry. Boeing assembly lines, port terminals loading containers, warehouses moving freight around the clock. The work is demanding—and dangerous. When something goes wrong here, it's serious. A fall from scaffolding, machinery crushing a hand, a back injury from years of lifting heavy loads. You need medical care immediately, and you need your wages covered while you recover.
That's what workers' compensation is supposed to provide. But in North Charleston, we see insurance companies push back harder on industrial claims. They know the medical costs can be high. They know some injuries keep people out of work for months. So they delay, they question everything, and they look for any excuse to minimize your benefits or deny your claim entirely.
Large employers like Boeing and the port operations have their own insurance adjusters, their own processes, their own timelines. Without someone fighting for you, it's easy to get lost in that system. The Wilson PC understands North Charleston's industrial workforce—we've been representing workers here for years, and we know how to push back when insurance companies drag their feet.
South Carolina law requires employers with four or more workers to carry workers' comp insurance. When you get hurt on the job—whether it's a sudden accident or a repetitive stress injury that built up over time—you file a claim. The system is supposed to be no-fault, meaning it doesn't matter if the accident was your fault.
But here's where it gets complicated: Port workers might fall under federal maritime law instead of state workers' comp. Some large employers use self-insurance programs that operate differently. And insurance adjusters for industrial claims are trained to minimize payouts on high-cost cases.
In North Charleston, where industrial injuries can be severe and expensive, you need someone who understands both the law and the tactics insurance companies use. That's why so many workers here call us—not because they want to deal with lawyers, but because the system makes them.
What kind of injury you get depends on what you do all day. Warehouse workers blow out their backs. Nurses wreck their shoulders moving patients. Office workers get carpal tunnel from typing. Construction guys fall off ladders.
Some injuries happen fast—you slip on a wet floor, catch your hand in a machine, or get hit by something falling. Others creep up on you—your back starts hurting a little, then a lot, until you can barely move.
Falls are everywhere—restaurant kitchens, warehouse floors, construction sites, parking lots in winter. People break bones, mess up their backs, and hit their heads—these aren't minor injuries.
Back and neck problems might be the most common thing we see. Years of lifting, bending, or even just sitting wrong at a desk can lead to herniated discs and pinched nerves. The kind of pain that doesn't go away with rest.
Head injuries are tricky because you might feel fine at first. A week later you're getting headaches, you can't concentrate, and you feel dizzy. That "minor bump" on a job site can turn into something serious.
Repetitive stress injuries sneak up on you. Carpal tunnel, tendonitis, bursitis—your wrist starts aching, then your whole arm. By the time most people see a doctor, they've already got real damage.
Machine accidents are brutal—amputations, crush injuries, bad burns—and manufacturing and industrial workers deal with this risk every shift.
Construction injuries cover a lot of ground. Falls from heights, stuff dropping on you, electrocution, trenches collapsing—there's a reason it's one of the deadliest industries.
Driving injuries hit anyone who's on the road for work. Truck drivers, delivery people, anyone with a company vehicle—wrecks, loading dock accidents, hauling cargo in bad weather.
All of this is covered by workers' comp. Whether it happened in one second or built up over ten years.
Senior Workers' Compensation Attorney
Dylan Bess grew up in Florence County, South Carolina, and now resides in East Cobb, Georgia. He finds great fulfillment in his work in workers’ compensation, particularly because he is able to help those who are injured or out of work navigate a system that can be very tricky and is full of potential pitfalls. Dylan takes great pride in guiding clients through complex legal processes and ensuring they receive the support and benefits they deserve during difficult times.
Dylan previously worked in staffing and human resources before transitioning to the legal field. His background in HR gives him unique insight into workplace dynamics and employee rights, allowing him to approach workers’ compensation cases with both legal precision and practical understanding.
Dylan previously worked in staffing and human resources before transitioning to the legal field. His background in HR gives him unique insight into workplace dynamics and employee rights, allowing him to approach workers’ compensation cases with both legal precision and practical understanding.
Gate City Bar Association
Traveling and cheering on the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team. Dylan has a deep love for his home state and enjoys following the team’s success.
Dylan has served on the boards of directors of the Georgia Legal Foundation and the Joanne W. Charles Memorial Foundation, where the focus is on raising ovarian cancer awareness and funding research, especially in rural areas.
Dylan and his wife, Nikki, are the proud parents of Zoe and Ivy. Family is at the heart of everything he does.
North Charleston is an industrial powerhouse. Between the Boeing plant, the port, and the warehouses, thousands of workers face physical hazards every day.
Boeing's massive assembly plant dominates the local economy. Assembly workers, mechanics, and technicians face machinery hazards and repetitive stress injuries daily.
The port facilities employ longshoremen, forklift operators, and warehouse workers who deal with heavy equipment and physical demands.
Distribution centers line the highways. Workers face back injuries from lifting, forklift accidents, and repetitive motion problems.
Trident Medical Center and other facilities employ nurses and staff who face patient handling injuries.
Tanger Outlets and area hotels employ workers facing slip hazards, lifting injuries, and long hours on their feet.
Various industrial facilities put workers at risk for machinery accidents and chemical exposure.
We've represented workers from pretty much every industry around here. If you got hurt at work, you've got a right to file a claim. Doesn't matter what job you have.
Here's what you need to do after getting hurt at work. Get this wrong and you'll make life harder for yourself later.
Do it the same day if possible—write it down (email works) and keep a copy. Yeah, technically you have 90 days in South Carolina. But if you wait three weeks to report it, guess what the insurance company is going to say? "If it really happened at work, why'd you wait so long?"
Your employer might have a list of approved doctors. Try to use one if you can. But if you need emergency care, go to the ER—don't worry about the list. Just make sure you tell them exactly how you got hurt. Save all your paperwork.
Show up to appointments, take the meds, and do the physical therapy even when it sucks. Insurance adjusters go through your records looking for reasons to cut you off. Miss a few appointments, and they'll say you must not be that hurt.
Every day you miss work, how bad the pain is, what you can't do anymore—maybe you can't pick up your kid, or sleep through the night, or drive. This sounds tedious but it matters if things go sideways.
Your employer should give you the forms, but if they don't, get them from the South Carolina Workers' Compensation Commission website. Don't wait around for someone else to handle this.
Claim denied, benefits delayed, or employer being weird about it? That's when you need help. Don't try to fight the insurance company alone—that's literally what they're counting on.
So what can you actually get from a workers' comp claim in South Carolina? Here's the breakdown.
This is the big one. Doctor visits, surgery, hospital stays, prescriptions, physical therapy—if it's treating your work injury, it should be covered. There's no dollar cap as long as the treatment is authorized and related to what happened.
If you can't work, you get paid part of your normal wages. In South Carolina, it's usually about two-thirds of what you were making. There are caps on how high this can go, but it's something.
Some injuries don't fully heal, and if you're left with lasting problems—can't lift like you used to, lost range of motion, whatever—you may be entitled to additional compensation. How much depends on what got injured and how bad it is.
Can't go back to your old job because of your injury? Vocational rehab might help you learn something new or find work that fits your limitations.
If someone dies from a work injury, their family can receive benefits—funeral costs plus ongoing support for dependents.
What you end up getting depends on your situation. How bad you're hurt. Whether you can work at all. How the claim plays out. But this gives you an idea of what's on the table.
Here's how workers' comp actually works in South Carolina. It helps to know what you're dealing with.
You report the injury to your employer. They're supposed to tell their insurance company and file paperwork with the South Carolina Workers' Compensation Commission. The insurance company then "investigates"—which mostly means looking for reasons to pay you less or deny the claim entirely.
Your employer files the paperwork, and the insurance company decides whether to pay and how much. Keep in mind: that insurance company is not on your side. They're a business trying to reduce costs. Your costs.
Tell your employer immediately—they file with their insurance and the SC Workers' Compensation Commission.
The insurance company reviews your claim, mostly looking for reasons to deny or minimize payment.
In South Carolina, your employer usually picks which doctors you see. You can't just go to whoever you want.
You can request a hearing with the Workers' Compensation Commission to present your evidence and make your case.
Sometimes they offer a lump sum to close out the case, but once you take it, that's it—no more benefits for that injury, ever.
Here's something a lot of people don't realize—in South Carolina, your employer usually gets to pick which doctors you see. You can't just go to whoever you want. If you have a real problem with your assigned doctor, you can ask for a change, but you'll need a good reason.
Speaking of settlements—sometimes the insurance company offers you a lump sum to close out the case. Could be good, could be bad—but once you take it, that's it. No more benefits for that injury, ever. Don't sign anything without understanding what you're giving up.
Insurance companies deny claims all the time. Here's what they usually hang their hat on.
Technically you have 90 days, but report it two weeks after it happened and watch them say, "Well if you were really hurt at work, why didn't you tell anyone sooner?" They'll imply you got hurt somewhere else. Report it immediately.
This one comes up a lot with injuries that build up over time—bad backs, repetitive stress stuff. There's no single accident to point to, so they claim you must have done it on your own time. Employers sometimes back them up on this.
If your doctor's notes are vague about what caused the injury, the insurance company will use that. They need documentation that clearly ties your condition to your job. Make sure your doctor knows exactly how you got hurt and writes it down.
Got an old back injury? They'll say your current problem is just that old injury flaring up, not anything work-related. Here's the thing though—if work made an existing condition worse, you can still get benefits. They don't always tell you that.
Missed some appointments? Didn't take your meds? Skipped physical therapy? They'll use it against you—they'll say you must not be that hurt, or you're not trying to get better.
This is why people end up needing a workers' compensation lawyer. Insurance companies have teams of people whose entire job is finding reasons to deny claims. You probably shouldn't fight that alone.
Look, you've got enough going on. You're hurt, you're worried about bills, you're trying to get better. Fighting with an insurance company shouldn't be your job right now.
That's what we do. The Wilson PC handles workers' comp cases in North Charleston. We take the headache off your plate.
We fill it out right the first time—sounds basic, but you'd be surprised how many claims get delayed or denied because of paperwork mistakes.
Insurance company said no? We push back—we get more evidence, build a stronger case, and take it to the Commission if we have to.
You know that adjuster who calls you? They're not trying to help you. They're trained to get you to settle cheap or say something they can use against you. We handle those conversations instead.
Medical bills, lost wages, disability benefits. Whatever the law says you should get, we work to make sure you actually get it.
Your job is to heal. Ours is to deal with the rest of this mess.
There's no shortage of workers' compensation lawyers out there. So why us?
Workers' comp law in South Carolina has its own quirks—deadlines, procedures, rules about which doctors you can see—and we've been doing this for years. We know what works.
Nothing's worse than hiring a workers' compensation lawyer and then never hearing from them, so we keep you in the loop. You'll know what's happening with your case.
We've gotten people their medical bills covered, recovered their lost wages, and won disability benefits—our clients send us their friends because we actually came through for them.
We don't charge you anything unless we win—no retainer, no hourly fees, nothing. If we don't get you benefits, you don't owe us a dime.
You're already stressed, the last thing you need is a workers' compensation lawyer making things harder.
We work with people all over North Charleston and nearby areas—Charleston, Summerville, Goose Creek, Hanahan, Ladson, Mount Pleasant, you name it. Doesn't matter if you work downtown or out in the suburbs.
Being local matters here. We know the employers in this area, which insurance companies they use, and what those insurance companies try to pull. We're not some out-of-state firm handling your case from three states away. We're right here.
Click on a question to reveal the answer.
Boeing injuries are covered under regular South Carolina workers' comp. Port workers might fall under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act instead, which is a federal program with different rules and often better benefits. The line between the two can get complicated depending on exactly where and what you were doing when you got hurt. This is one situation where talking to a workers' compensation lawyer early makes a real difference.
Same as anyone else in South Carolina. Medical care for your injury, a portion of your lost wages if you can't work, and disability benefits if you end up with lasting problems. Distribution center injuries—back problems from lifting, forklift accidents, repetitive stress—are all covered. The challenge is often getting the insurance company to approve ongoing treatment.
You can still file workers' comp with your employer—that covers your medical bills and lost wages regardless of who caused the accident. But you might also have a separate claim against the contractor or third party. This is called a third-party claim, and it can get you additional compensation that workers' comp doesn't cover, like pain and suffering. It's worth having a workers' compensation lawyer look at the situation.
A denial isn't the end. You can request a hearing with the South Carolina Workers' Compensation Commission to challenge it. Insurance companies deny claims all the time, sometimes hoping you'll just give up. Many denied claims get overturned on appeal. Gather your medical records, document everything, and consider getting a workers' compensation lawyer involved—we handle these appeals regularly.
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