If you are looking for a workers’ compensation lawyer from Rock Hill or York, begin with the process that applies to your injury. The South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission handles South Carolina claims. This page gives you a place to start with the forms, average weekly wage, hearing questions, and rating arithmetic.
Brad Smith is licensed in South Carolina. You can bring your questions to a conversation with him or first read the site’s South Carolina workers’ compensation section. The North Carolina resources linked below are for injuries in North Carolina.
York County, with York as the county seat
Rock Hill and York are the two cities this guide addresses. York County sits in South Carolina’s Piedmont region between the Broad River and the Catawba River. York, the county seat, is in the western part of the county, equidistant between the I-77 and I-85 corridors. I-77 runs through the eastern portion, while I-85 runs near the northwestern part.
For hearings, the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission places York County in Hearing District 6, listed as Spartanburg. The Commission’s published pages do not identify a specific hearing site in York County or Rock Hill. When a hearing is set, ask about the location rather than assuming that the district listing tells you where to go.
The South Carolina forms and your average weekly wage
Start by identifying the paperwork you have. The Commission lists Form 12A, First Report of Injury; Form 50, Employee’s Notice of Claim, which can also request a hearing; and Form 15, Temporary Compensation Report. Use the number and title together when you ask about a document.
For average weekly wage, the earnings document is Form 20, Statement of Earnings of Injured Employee. It documents the wages behind that calculation. The hearing forms include Form 21, Employer’s Request for Hearing, and Form 51, Employer’s Answer to Request for Hearing. Bring the papers you received so you can discuss what each one concerns.
Weekly disability compensation is 66 2/3 percent of your average weekly wage, subject to the state minimum and maximum. For injuries on or after January 1, 2026, the maximum weekly compensation rate is $1,189.94. To understand your rate, ask which average weekly wage was used.
The questions Rock Hill readers ask
How long do I have to notify my employer?
Under S.C. Code § 42-15-20, notice of the accident must be given to your employer within 90 days after the accident or death occurs. Failure to give timely notice bars physician’s fees and accrued compensation unless an exception in the statute applies. Those exceptions include your employer already knowing about the accident; you being prevented from giving notice by physical or mental incapacity, or by a third person’s fraud or deceit; or a reasonable excuse made to the Commission’s satisfaction when the employer has not been prejudiced. If you are calling from Rock Hill or York about a notice problem, bring the dates and explain what your employer knew. Read South Carolina’s notice statute before organizing that question.
What happens to compensation for the first days I am out?
The first seven calendar days of disability do not provide compensation under S.C. Code § 42-9-200, but medical benefits under § 42-15-60 still apply during that period. If the disability lasts more than fourteen days, compensation is allowed from the date the disability began. When you review payments after a Rock Hill or York work injury, ask how those dates were counted. The South Carolina waiting-period provision explains the distinction between the initial seven days and disability lasting more than fourteen days.
What should I ask about temporary payments that have stopped?
Under S.C. Code § 42-9-260, an employer may start temporary disability payments after you have been out of work for eight days because of a reported work-related injury or occupational disease. Payments may continue for up to 150 days from the report without waiving grounds for a good-faith denial. If payments are suspended or terminated under that section, you may request a hearing to have them reinstituted. Read the temporary-payment statute and bring the payment dates to your conversation.
Work and treatment around Rock Hill and York
The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce lists the county’s 20 largest employers in alphabetical order. Among them are Continental Tire North America, Meritor Heavy Vehicle Systems, Schaeffler Group USA, and Maclean Power. It also names public employers, including the City of Rock Hill, the County of York, and four school districts. Walmart, Ross Dress for Less, CVS, and Sunbelt Rentals appear on the same list.
Piedmont Medical Network describes two hospitals, one in Rock Hill and one in Fort Mill, along with a freestanding ER, urgent care, and imaging. These facilities are places people get treatment in the area.
Working through a South Carolina permanent partial disability rating
Brad’s method starts with the impairment rating, the scheduled weeks for the injured body part, and your compensation rate. Multiply the rating by the weeks, then multiply those weeks by the rate.
Impairment rating x scheduled body-part weeks x compensation rate = rating calculation.
For the back, S.C. Code § 42-9-30 provides 300 scheduled weeks where the loss of use is 49 percent or less. As an arithmetic example, a 10 percent rating applied to 300 weeks gives 30 weeks. You then multiply those 30 weeks by the compensation rate. Ask to see the applicable schedule and rate before working through the multiplication.
In his South Carolina explanation, Brad identifies the doctor’s permanent impairment rating, permanent work restrictions, and ongoing pain and discomfort as factors. He says the Commission may “bump it up,” describing the doctor’s rating as sometimes multiplied by one and a half, two, or three, depending on the circumstances. That is Brad’s characterization of the award discussion. Ask how the rating calculation fits into that discussion.
Working with Brad from Rock Hill or York
The contact point for this guide is The Law Offices of Bradley H. Smith, 3117 Whiting Avenue, Suite 211, Charlotte, NC 28205. Office visits by appointment only. Call (980) 281-9984.
Rock Hill and York are on the firm’s service-area list, and clients from Rock Hill and York are served from the Charlotte office, by appointment.
A route from Rock Hill follows US-21 Business to I-77 north, then I-277 / US-74 and North Davidson Street to Whiting Avenue. It is about 29 miles, or roughly 45 minutes without traffic. From York, a route follows SC-49 north, sharing SC-274 and then SC-557, and NC-49 into Charlotte, followed by I-77 / US-21, I-277 / US-74, and North Davidson Street. That drive is about 37 miles, or roughly an hour without traffic. Traffic changes the travel time.
Start your first call with what you need to understand. Have your paperwork nearby and write down the dates you want to discuss. If a wage calculation, treatment question, rating, or hearing is your concern, raise that question at the start. That gives you a starting point for the conversation.
To arrange a visit, ask about an appointment and what information to bring. Read about Bradley H. Smith for his background, and use the contact page to review the Charlotte office details before planning your drive.
Talk through your next question
Bring the questions you want answered, whether it concerns your average weekly wage, returning to work, or a second opinion on medical treatment.
Keep reading
- South Carolina workers’ compensation section
- Workers’ compensation videos
- North Carolina: Workers’ compensation guide
- North Carolina: Understanding average weekly wage
- North Carolina: Calculating workers’ compensation for a new employee
- North Carolina: Questions about payments stopping
- North Carolina: Guide for Concord readers
Bradley H. Smith. No fee unless we recover. Call (980) 281-9984.
Frequently asked questions
Where are workers’ compensation hearings for York County held?
The South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission places York County in Hearing District 6, listed as Spartanburg. Its published pages do not name a specific York County or Rock Hill hearing site. When your hearing is set, ask about the location so you know where to go.
How much does South Carolina workers’ compensation pay each week?
For a Rock Hill or York injury under South Carolina law, weekly disability compensation is 66 2/3 percent of your average weekly wage, subject to the state minimum and maximum. For injuries on or after January 1, 2026, the maximum weekly compensation rate is $1,189.94 under S.C. Code § 42-9-10.
Is Brad licensed in South Carolina?
Yes. Brad is licensed in South Carolina and North Carolina. If you are calling from Rock Hill or York, begin by identifying where the work injury happened.
How far is the Charlotte office from Rock Hill?
The Law Offices of Bradley H. Smith is at 3117 Whiting Avenue, Suite 211, Charlotte, NC 28205. From Rock Hill, the drive is about 29 miles, or roughly 45 minutes without traffic. Traffic changes that time. Office visits are by appointment only. Call (980) 281-9984 to ask about an appointment before planning your visit.
Last updated: October 8, 2026.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Case examples are shared with client details anonymized. This page is general information about South Carolina law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different. Talk to a lawyer about yours.