Charleston Port Worker Injury Lawyers

South Carolina plays a key role in the United States’ import and export trade. The Port of Charleston is “consistently ranked among the most productive ports in the world,” according to the South Carolina Ports Authority.

As of October 2025, South Carolina ports experienced an 18% increase in loaded exports. Cargo volumes for 2025 increased by 3% since the previous year. Experts in the field anticipate that these volumes will increase as the United States continues to expand its manufacturing capacity. 

According to the South Carolina Department of Commerce, the top five exports for 2024 were completed passenger vehicles, aircraft and parts, machinery and parts, plastics, and rubber tires. When port workers are injured on the job, they can face significant risks and long recovery times. An experienced South Carolina workplace injury lawyer can help dock workers and longshoremen get the compensation they deserve for their injuries.

Duties and Roles at South Carolina Docks 

Key roles at local ports and docks include dockhands, truck yard attendants, port drayage truck drivers, and electrical craftsmen, among others.

Dockhands

Dockhands perform essential maintenance at docks within the Port of Charleston. They monitor and clean dock areas to prevent falls and other injuries. Dockhands also help secure boats, monitor dock utilities, handle black water pump-out, and manage waste disposal. Handling customer service requests and boat maintenance is also part of the job for some dockhands.

Dockhands face injury risks from working near the waterfront. Tools or equipment that are misplaced, poorly maintained, or contain hidden defects may fail at any time, leading to serious injuries. Dock workers may be struck by boats, vehicles, cranes or moving loads. Working with forklifts to complete tasks may increase the risk of falls or crush injuries. 

Truck Yard Attendants

Truck yard attendants ensure that semi trucks, trailers, and other trucks are ready for use by Port of Charleston customers. They help keep trucks clean, functional, and free of safety defects. Inspection and repair are a daily part of a truck yard attendant’s job. 

Injury risks truck yard attendants face include being pinned or trapped by body parts in truck engines or other equipment. Exposure to hot truck parts or various fluids can cause burns and other harm. Truck yard attendants can also be injured in accidents involving a truck moving into or out of the yard. 

Port Drayage Truck Drivers

Port drayage truck drivers pick up and drop off loads at the Port of Charleston and other ports. In addition to the regular motor vehicle crash risks, port drayage truck drivers can face the risk of injury in collisions within the port, particularly in areas with tight turns and high traffic, where maneuvering is challenging.

Many port drayage truck drivers specialize in moving shipping containers within the Port of Charleston or between the port and rail yards or local warehouses. Injuries related to moving shipping containers can occur. Delays, poor directions, heavy traffic, and other challenges may increase drivers’ stress. 

Electrical Craftsmen

The Port of Charleston depends on its electrical system, and the system depends on the skill of the electrical craftsmen who build and maintain it. Electrical craftsmen pull wiring, install conduits, install docking and underwater light fixtures, and turn blueprints and schematics into real-world electrical systems, all while ensuring their work complies with code. 

Electrocution is a risk for electricians working on dockside electrical systems. Burns from a fire caused by electrical equipment may occur. No matter your role or job duties, you may face injury risks while working at the Port of Charleston. Speak to an experienced dock work injury attorney if you are injured during a work shift. 

Common Longshoreman and Dock Worker Injury Risks

Dock workers and longshoremen face significant injury risks while working in the Port of Charleston and other South Carolina ports. Common injuries reported to the US Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) include:

• Crush Injuries. Workers can suffer serious or fatal injuries if their bodies become pinned, trapped, or crushed between two pieces of equipment. Common pinned-between injuries include workers trapped between a truck and another object, such as a dock leveler or a trailer. 
• Falls. Falls are one of the top four fatal injuries suffered in US workplaces each year. Dock workers also face risks of falls. Falls from a height, such as falling off a truck, walkway, or shipping crate, can be particularly serious. 
• Amputations and other machinery injuries. Amputations or crush injuries when body parts are trapped in or between machinery and equipment can occur when working in a port or a loading dock. These injuries can cause lifelong disfigurement and disability. In some cases, they can prove fatal. 
• Burn injuries. Explosions and fires on docks can also cause serious injuries. Burns may also occur from contact with electricity. 
• Repetitive stress injuries. Lifting and loading place high demands on the human body. When dock workers repeat these motions daily, repetitive stress injuries can set in. 
• Heat-related injuries. OSHA classifies these injuries as “exposure to dangerous environments.” Outdoor heat in a South Carolina summer or the heat inside a warehouse can cause extreme stress to the human body, leading to injury or illness. 

South Carolina’s ports connect the state and the nation to the rest of the world via ship, but they also mean workers must work near the water, increasing the risk of drowning or other serious injuries. If you’re injured while performing a job on a dock, it’s important to start tracking your injuries. Next, speak to an experienced longshoreman work accident attorney at Steinberg Law Firm.

Compensation After a Dock Injury in South Carolina

A dock injury can leave a family with a pile of bills and a lot of worry. Some questions that may come to mind are: 

• Will you be able to return to work after an injury? If not, how will you support yourself and your household? 
• If someone else’s negligence caused harm, can you hold them accountable? 

Various avenues of compensation exist for dock workers, harbor workers, and longshoremen. The options that apply to your case may depend on your specific role and the specific facts of your injury. A South Carolina dock injury lawyer can help you determine which benefits apply and how to secure them. 

The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA)

The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) is a federal law that provides workers’ compensation benefits to certain maritime workers who are injured on the job or suffer a work-related illness. 

The law covers longshoremen, stevedores, ship repair crews, and harbor construction workers, many of whom work in South Carolina’s ports. The LHWCA provides several types of benefits, including medical care and disability payments. If a worker suffers fatal injuries, the law also provides death benefits to family members. 

South Carolina Workers’ Compensation

Workers not covered by the LHWCA may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits through their South Carolina employer. These benefits are administered by the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission. 

Like LHWCA benefits, South Carolina workers’ compensation benefits include coverage for medical costs, disability, and death benefits. Benefits are available regardless of who was at fault for your injuries. 

To start a workers’ compensation claim, tell your employer about your injury or work-related illness. Ask for a list of approved doctors you can see for treatment. Next, fill out a contact form on the Steinberg Law Firm website to learn about your recovery options. 

Compensation from Negligent Third Parties

Some dock injuries result from the negligence of a third party. For instance, a truck driver may disregard signs and signals, leading to an accident. Teams that loaded cargo onto a truck bed may have done so negligently, causing the cargo to shift and trigger an accident. Hidden defects in equipment or materials can cause critical parts to fail, resulting in serious harm. 

When a third party’s negligence causes harm, you may have a claim against that party in addition to workers’ compensation benefits. An attorney with experience handling both workers’ compensation and personal injury claims can help you seek the compensation you deserve for your incident. 

Speak to an Experienced South Carolina Longshoreman Dock Worker Injury Lawyer Today

Loading dock and longshore work are essential, but they can also cause serious injuries. If you’re injured on the job, talk to an experienced dock worker injury attorney in South Carolina today. The team at the Steinberg Law Firm can help. Give us a call today at (843) 720-2800.