Workers’ Compensation
Seasoned, focused South Carolina attorneys
The Workers' Compensation Practice Group at Young Clement Rivers, LLP serves employers, self-insured employers, and insurance carriers in the handling of their workers' compensation claims for state and federal benefits. The firm’s decades of client advocacy handling some of the most prominent workers’ compensation cases in the state, has earned the group a solid reputation before the South Carolina Workers' Compensation Commission, the various medical communities in South Carolina, and the group's attorney colleagues in both the plaintiffs’ and defense bar.
The group’s lawyers and extensive support staff collaborate to provide top quality legal services to clients in matters involving:
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The group’s attorneys are dedicated to keeping themselves and their clients informed and educated and frequently give presentations and in-house seminars to local employers and organizations on workers' compensation issues. The group is active in the ALFA International Workers’ Compensation Practice Group, providing a network and opportunity to discuss important issues with workers’ compensation attorneys and employer representatives from around the country. Group members are also very active in the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Educational Association, the South Carolina Self-Insurers Association and many other organizations.
Understanding Specific Business Needs to Help Clients Succeed
The group has extensive experience representing employers of all sizes, both through their insurance carriers and direct representation of self-insured employers, including large hospital systems, school districts, and industrial facilities.
Young Clement Rivers, LLP’s attorneys take a global approach to workers’ compensation representation and are careful to make sure they understand and have considered all relevant factors in order to coordinate employer goals and business concerns with efficient claim resolution.
The group’s attorneys are committed to forming long-term, productive relationships with clients, and often consult clients on employment policies and other matters with the goal of minimizing future claims.
Complex and Multi-Party Litigation
The group has particular experience defending complex, multi-litigant workers’ compensation matters, including those involving:
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The group has the specific institutional knowledge, staff, and resources to effectively handle this type of large-scale litigation.
Concurrent Jurisdiction and Longshore Claims
Young Clement Rivers, LLP’s workers’ compensation group has unique experience handling concurrent claims arising under the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act and the federal Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Act.
The group has the distinction of having attorneys with in-depth knowledge of both acts, and who are capable of handling the defense of both sides of concurrent jurisdiction claims. This eliminates the need for employers and insurers to hire separate counsel to represent them in the state and federal actions. This ability not only results in a more cost-effective resolution, but also minimizes the potential for conflicts arising from the complexities of the connections between the state and federal proceedings. The firm has a dedicated group of Longshore and Harbor Workers’ counsel to assist clients in concurrent jurisdiction claims.
Alternative dispute resolution
The group’s attorneys are well versed in alternative methods of dispute resolution (ADR). While mediation is not yet mandatory in the workers’ compensation field, this efficient, cost-effective method of resolving claims has gained increased acceptance by the Claimants’ Bar Association, the Defense Bar and the Workers’ Compensation Commission. Young Clement Rivers, LLC’s leadership in this area is demonstrated by the fact that several of the firm’s attorneys serve regularly as mediators resolving workers compensation and longshore and harbor workers’ compensation cases.
Useful tools and resources
As a service to the firm’s clients, the Workers Compensation Group offers the following tools and resources:
- The South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission web site has a wealth of helpful information, including downloadable copies of all necessary forms, contact information for all Commissioners, and the recently introduced “E-case status” feature.
- The firm’s South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Fundamentals fact sheet provides a concise description of critical claim information, including compensation rates, statutes of limitations, benefits, and other information.
Practice group attorneys
- Wallace G. Holland, Group Chair
- Lee Louis Gremillion IV
- E. Courtney Gruber
- Robert P. Gruber
- Elizabeth B. Luzuriaga
- Brian P. McElreath
- Caroline C. McIntosh
- Kevin W. Mims
- Kelly Wannamaker Murphy
- Matthew O. Riddle
- F. Drake Rogers, III
- Leslie M. Whitten
Articles, case studies and workers' compensation news
- Amended workers’ compensation regulations went into effect on January 13, 2010. See the amendments here, or contact us to determine how these regulations affect the employer/carrier’s handling of workers’ compensation claims.
- Elizabeth Luzuriaga has been selected for inclusion into the Best Lawyers of America for 2010. She joins Buster Holland in attaining this prestigious designation.
- Attorney Leslie Whitten is giving a seminar on the topic of “Employer Protections under the AMA Guides” on January 27, 2010. You may contact Leslie if you would like more information on this topic.
- Elizabeth Luzuriaga is serving as an Adjunct Professor teaching Workers’ Compensation Law at the Charleston School of Law.
- SC Workers' Compensation Commission has announced a maximum compensation rate of $689.71, effective January 1, 2010.
- SC Comptroller General announces decreased mileage rate applicable to workers’ compensation claims as of January 1, 2010.
- The South Carolina Court of Appeals recently held that workers' compensation insurance policy lapse notices must contain the specific dates of lapse. Otherwise, reinstatements of coverage after a lapse will be considered to have been completely restored with no lapse in coverage. To read the full opinion, click here.
- Case Study: Fraud and misrepresentation on the employment application as a grounds for defense to a workers' compensation claim
Contact Young Clement Rivers, LLP
To talk to one of Young Clement Rivers, LLP’s seasoned South Carolina advocates call (843) 720-5492 or contact the firm online


