Personal Injury Law

Worker?s Comp Commission won?t follow Sanford order?s standard

By Louthian Law Firm

The South Carolina Workers? Compensation Commission rejected an order made by Governor Mark Sanford to begin using new uniform standards in deciding how much should be paid to injured workers with long-term disabilities.

The commission signed an order on October 25th that said that they would follow the law as written, which took into account the individual facts of each case, and not Sanford?s order to begin using uniform standards in determining the amounts awarded to the injured workers.

The commission?s order noted that lawmakers had previously rejected Sanford?s call for using the medical guidelines in workers? compensation cases. The order, signed by all members of the commission stated that the commission ?is bound by the statutory laws of South Carolina, state Constitution, Code of Judicial Conduct and commissioners? oath of office to uphold and be faithful to these laws.?

The republican governor?s executive order to force the new standards had predictably won praise from the leaders of the businesses who are responsible for paying out the monies owed to workers with long-term disabilities. With so many different variables involved in worker?s compensation cases, using a uniform standard for deciding monies owed makes little sense.

Full post as published by South Carolina Lawyer Blog on December 10, 2007 (boomark / email).