After decades on the job, an injury can be especially difficult when retirement is already on the horizon. You may be thinking about your next chapter, but suddenly you’re dealing with medical appointments, work restrictions, and questions about what happens to your workers’ compensation claim.
If you were injured at work in South Carolina and you’re nearing retirement, you may be wondering: Will I still receive workers’ compensation benefits? What happens if I retire? Does my age affect my claim?
The answers depend on the circumstances of your injury and your claim. Here’s what South Carolina workers should know.
Being Near Retirement Doesn’t Automatically End a Workers’ Compensation Claim
Workers’ compensation benefits are tied to a work-related injury, not simply to how close you are to retirement. South Carolina workers’ compensation may provide benefits for medical treatment, lost wages, and permanent disability when an injury qualifies.
That means being 60, 62, 64, or another age near retirement does not automatically mean you lose the ability to pursue benefits after a workplace injury. Your individual circumstances still matter, including the nature of your injury, your ability to work, and the medical treatment you need.
What If You Were Planning to Retire Soon?
This is where things can become more complicated.
Maybe you had already planned to retire in a few months. Maybe you had started making plans with your spouse. Or perhaps you had spent decades working toward finally having more time with your family.
Then you get hurt at work.
One important question may be whether your inability to work is related to the work injury or to your decision to retire.
South Carolina workers’ compensation provides temporary compensation when an authorized treating doctor determines that an injury prevents you from working or limits your ability to perform your regular job duties.
Because every claim is different, the timing and circumstances surrounding a planned retirement can matter.
What Benefits May Be Available?
Depending on your situation, workers’ compensation can provide several types of benefits.
Medical Benefits
South Carolina workers’ compensation may cover medical treatment related to a compensable workplace injury. The South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission notes that employers generally have the right to choose the treating doctor for a work-related injury.
Lost-Wage Benefits
If your work injury prevents you from working, you may qualify for temporary compensation. In South Carolina, temporary total compensation is generally calculated at two-thirds of your average weekly wages, subject to the state’s maximum weekly rate.
For injuries occurring in 2026, the maximum weekly compensation rate is $1,189.94.
Permanent Disability Benefits
Some workplace injuries result in lasting impairment. After treatment is completed, an injured worker may receive an impairment rating if the work accident caused permanent disability. Depending on the circumstances, permanent disability benefits may be available.
What If You Retire While Your Claim Is Still Open?
Retirement does not necessarily answer every question about an existing workers’ compensation claim.
For example, you may still need medical treatment related to your workplace injury. You may also have questions about permanent disability or whether a proposed settlement adequately accounts for your future medical needs.
The South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission explains that workers’ compensation settlements can be structured differently. One type may allow an employee to seek additional medical care within 12 months of the last compensation payment if the condition worsens, while another can resolve the claim, including future medical care.
That makes it especially important to understand what a settlement actually covers before agreeing to it.
Don’t Assume Your Age Means Your Injury Doesn’t Matter
Workers who have spent 20, 30, or 40 years in the same industry sometimes hesitate to pursue a claim because they feel like they’re “almost done anyway.”
But an injury can affect much more than your last few months at work.
It can affect:
- Your ability to finish your career
- Your medical needs
- Your household finances
- Your plans for retirement
- Your ability to enjoy retirement the way you expected
After years of hard work, you shouldn’t feel like you have to simply accept an injury and move on without understanding your options.
What Should You Do After a Workplace Injury?
If you’re injured at work and retirement is approaching, take the injury seriously from the beginning.
Report the Injury
South Carolina’s Workers’ Compensation Commission advises injured workers to report workplace injuries to their employer immediately. Generally, failing to report an injury within 90 days can result in losing the right to benefits.
Get Medical Treatment
Follow the medical treatment recommended through your workers’ compensation claim and keep copies of your records.
Keep Your Documentation
Save:
- Medical records
- Work restrictions
- Pay information
- Communications from your employer
- Workers’ compensation paperwork
- Information about your planned retirement
Having these records can help clarify what happened and how the injury has affected you.
Don’t Rush Into a Settlement
If you’re offered a workers’ compensation settlement, understand what you’re agreeing to before you sign.
This can be particularly important if you’re approaching retirement and may need future medical care related to the injury.
What If Your Claim Is Denied or Benefits Stop?
Sometimes an employer or insurance carrier may deny a claim or stop benefits.
If you disagree with the decision, South Carolina provides a process for requesting a hearing before a Workers’ Compensation Commissioner. The Commission explains that an injured worker may file a Form 50 to request a hearing when a claim has been denied or the worker believes they aren’t receiving all benefits to which they’re entitled.
You don’t have to figure out that process alone.
Talk With a South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Attorney
If you’ve spent decades working and a workplace injury happens just as retirement approaches, you probably have enough on your mind already.
You shouldn’t have to guess about what your injury means for your benefits, your medical care, or the plans you’ve made for the next chapter of your life.
Allen & Allen Law Firm helps injured workers and families throughout Anderson, Belton, Clemson, Pendleton, Pickens, Seneca, Abbeville, and communities across the Upstate understand their rights under South Carolina workers’ compensation law.
If you were injured at work near retirement, we’re here to help you understand your options.
Call Allen & Allen Law Firm at 864-226-6184 to schedule a consultation.
