Boeing & Aerospace Worker Injury Lawyers — North Charleston, SC
Boeing South Carolina’s North Charleston campus is one of the Lowcountry’s largest employers, with nearly 7,000 workers and contractors assembling the 787 Dreamliner in a 1.2-million-square-foot facility. The aerospace manufacturing environment — with heavy machinery, composite materials, chemical exposure, elevated work platforms, and repetitive assembly tasks — creates significant injury risks that differ from typical workplace accidents.
Roden Law’s North Charleston office represents Boeing workers and aerospace contractors injured on the job. We handle both workers’ compensation claims and third-party personal injury cases that arise from workplace injuries.
Common Boeing & Aerospace Workplace Injuries
- Repetitive strain injuries: Assembly line work requiring repetitive motions — drilling, riveting, fastening — causes carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, rotator cuff tears, and other musculoskeletal disorders
- Chemical exposure: Composite manufacturing involves epoxy resins, carbon fiber dust, solvents, and sealants that cause respiratory disease, chemical burns, and skin sensitization
- Falls from height: Work on aircraft fuselage sections, scaffolding, and elevated platforms creates fall risks. A fall from even 6-10 feet onto a concrete manufacturing floor produces serious injuries
- Struck-by injuries: Heavy fuselage sections, tooling, and components moving through the facility on cranes and automated guided vehicles (AGVs)
- Electrical injuries: High-voltage systems in testing and manufacturing environments
- Hearing loss: Sustained exposure to manufacturing noise — riveting, drilling, machinery — without adequate hearing protection
- Heat stress: Working in enclosed fuselage sections during summer without adequate ventilation
Workers’ Compensation vs. Third-Party Claims
If you’re injured working at Boeing, you likely have a workers’ compensation claim — but you may also have a more valuable third-party personal injury claim:
Workers’ Compensation (Against Your Employer)
- Covers medical expenses and partial lost wages (66.67% of average weekly wage in SC)
- No-fault system — you don’t need to prove negligence
- Cannot recover pain and suffering damages
- Filed through the SC Workers’ Compensation Commission
Third-Party Personal Injury Claims
If someone other than your employer caused or contributed to your injury, you may file a separate personal injury lawsuit for full damages including pain and suffering. Common third-party defendants in Boeing injuries:
- Equipment manufacturers: Defective tools, machinery, or safety equipment that failed
- Subcontractors: Other companies working on-site whose negligence caused your injury
- Chemical manufacturers: Manufacturers of toxic substances used in the manufacturing process
- Property owners: If the injury occurred in a building or area not owned by Boeing
- Vehicle drivers: If you were injured in a vehicle crash on company property or during work-related travel
Boeing-Specific Issues
- Contractor vs. employee status: Many Boeing workers are employed through staffing agencies or subcontractors. Your employment classification affects which workers’ comp system covers you and which third-party claims are available.
- OSHA compliance: Boeing facilities must comply with OSHA standards. Documented OSHA violations strengthen both workers’ comp and third-party claims.
- Reporting requirements: Report injuries to your supervisor immediately. South Carolina requires written notice to the employer within 90 days (S.C. Code § 42-15-20).
- Retaliation protection: South Carolina law prohibits termination or retaliation for filing a legitimate workers’ compensation claim.
Filing Deadlines
- Workers’ comp: Notice to employer within 90 days; claim filed within 2 years of injury (S.C. Code § 42-15-40)
- Third-party personal injury: 3 years from date of injury (S.C. Code § 15-3-530)
- Occupational disease: 2 years from the date you knew or should have known the disease was work-related
Free Consultation
Roden Law evaluates Boeing workplace injuries for both workers’ comp and third-party claims at no cost. Call (843) 612-6561 or visit our North Charleston office on Spruill Avenue — just minutes from the Boeing campus.
