Tammy Hollifield

May 31, 2025

Working with Rob Usry and his team was a great experience. They took the time to answer all our questions about my husband's worker's comp case and did everything they could to make the process as easy for us as possible. We would highly recommend them for your legal needs.

Rebecca Smith

May 15, 2025

Mr. Usry and his staff are wonderful to work with. I reached out for advice when a recent accident caused damage to my house and car. They answered all my questions and explained all my options. They have the knowledge and haven't forgotten how to treat people with kindness and respect. I wholeheartedly recommend them.

Rebecca Smith

May 15, 2025

I used this firm to help with a workman's comp dispute. We started the process on February 1, 2023 and had a settlement agreement by August 22, 2023. I found the office staff to be friendly and more than capable to answer my questions and guide me through this process. Pam Worley and Rose Fagan sent prompt emails letting me know what I needed to do and the status of the claim. Mr. Rob Usry was patient and called personally to let me know what was happening and what the next step would be. He negotiated well with the Workman's Comp legal team and reached a fair agreement. If you are looking for an attorney that communicates well, is friendly, and will work in you behalf, I strongly recommend Holland & Usry, P.A.

Randall Garrett

May 13, 2025

I got hurt on the job in Gaffney SC. I saw rather quickly that I was going to need help. Rob Usry was referred by a friend who had a great experience with their services. So I contacted them and it was the best move I could have ever made. Rob and his staff were amazing they treated me and my wife like family. They left no stone unturned while working on my case and I could not be happier with the results. I would highly recommend Rob Usry and his team to anyone who is in need of a lawyer in the upstate. They are the best in the business.

Vickie Alumbaugh

May 3, 2025

Rob Ursy PA and Rose Fagan did a wonderful job with my workmen compensation case. I slipped at my work in Spartanburg, SC. I was treated respectfully and that I was important. They helped me communicate with workmen compensation to get a case the right way. Communicate with opposing counsel. An settlement was offered. Ultimately, I settled with workmen compensation insurance thru my work. The settlement was for good bit more than was originally offered. I am glad I got what I needed to get my injury repaired. Thank you!!

Jason Wines

March 25, 2025

I had a great experience.The staff really goes the extra mile to serv you and your needs. When ever I need the help of a trusted law firm I will always turn to them.

Wendie Lawson

March 7, 2025

Seeking help from an attorney was not on my radar when I was injured at work. Unfortunately, workers compensation became a barrier between me and the treatment I needed. Months battling workers compensation, being questioned relentlessly and then rejected, I contacted Holland & Usry, P.A. Mr. Usry and his team went to bat for me and I received the necessary treatment I needed, in addition to medical bills being paid. Workers compensation is a bear to deal with. If not for Mr. Usry and Rose, I would still be in a needless and stressful battle with them - this I am sure! I am extremely grateful for the honesty, integrity and compassion given me from this group! My journey is still in motion and Mr. Usry and Rose are taking care of business! Wendie Lawson I

Marilyn Anderson

February 20, 2025

My husband and I were victims of a hit and run accident about a year ago, My husband suffered a cracked clavicle and deep bruises to both knees, my injuries required a session of physical therapy. We had never been in an accident, and we felt victimized - our car was totaled, and we both suffered panful injuries. Following advice of friends and family, we decided to consult an attorney. Rob Usry was highly recommended, and we decided to ask him to represent us. Rob and his staff - Rose and Pam - were professional, thorough and supportive . They walked us through every step of the way. Since my husband and i are senior citizens with little experience with lawsuits, and unreliable computer skills, we needed help. Rose patiently answered our question and coached us along through computer glitches. Pam would organize and evaluate the seemingly endless maze of medical bills. When it came time to dicker with with insurance companies, Rob was the persistent master of negotiations, and we are very happy with the outcomes of our case. We are thankful to Rob Usry , Attorney At Law. and his staff, and highly recommend them to help you find the answers to the question - I Just Got In a South Carolina Car Accident. Now What.?

What Are South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Vocational Evaluations and What Do You Do In Them?

Rob Usry

October 21, 2018

Library, Worker’s Compensation

What Are South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Vocational Evaluations and What Do You Do In Them?

A severe work injury—like a spinal injury or one that affects multiple body parts—may keep you from returning to work or prevent you from making the same money you did before the injury.

If that’s even a possibility, you’ve got to protect your rights to financial and medical benefits, such as permanent and total disability or wage loss, that are provided by workers’ comp. As you might expect, workers’ comp insurance companies fight these cases hard. Your lawyer may send you to a vocational consultant, an expert who can assess your ability to return to work and earn the same money.

If you don’t have a lawyer, and the evaluation’s been scheduled by the insurance company, it’s past time to protect yourself. The evaluator is paid by the insurance company. He’s not looking out for your best interest. You need someone who will. Find out how we can help in a free*, no pressure strategy session with a Spartanburg, SC workers’ comp attorney. Call toll free at (864) 582-0416 or fill out a Get Help Now form.

The process used to create the vocational consultant’s report is called a vocational evaluation. Here’s how they work.

What to Expect During Your Vocational Evaluation

Behind the scenes. The vocational consultant should review your medical records to get an idea of your injury, its treatment, and your current condition. Ideally, you don’t go for an evaluation until you’re at maximum medical improvement—and have even possibly been given a permanent impairment rating by your doctor.
Your work history. To gauge what jobs you qualify for, the vocational consultant needs to know where you’ve worked, when, for how long, and what you did.

FREE POINTER: Think about this and write it down beforehand so you don’t have to remember years of past jobs at your meeting—while the consultant waits. We give our clients a chart to do this, right after hiring us, so it’s already done.

Your education and training. This impacts the jobs you qualify for. Training can include things you’ve earned like commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), other licenses, and certifications.
Work skills. One of the most important is computer skills, but the consultant should cover any skills you’ve developed, from running a cash register to operating complex machines.
Your description of the injury and treatment. You can provide information records just can’t about what it felt like and what worked and didn’t work in treatment.
Your description of your condition and physical limitations. While you may have already gotten a functional capacity evaluation [FCE], you can put a human face on how you feel and how it affects your life. Since this is often the most important part of your case, our clients get a tool to help them describe pain and restrictions in meaningful detail.
Testing. Expect to be tested in basic math, spelling, and language skills. This could be in the form of the Wide Range Achievement Test.

The Report

A good vocational consultant generates a thorough report, which includes all the factors above plus specialized analysis to describe:

A summary of your work skills, strengths or aptitude, and weaknesses.
The work fields you’re suited to.
Your physical demand work level. Often a determinative factor in the report, this conclusion is based on standards developed by the United States Department of Labor. The consultant should compare your limits to those standards.

Note: Often FCEs do this, but the consultant should do his own. We’ve had a case where the vocational consultant concluded our client could do less than what the FCE said.

Conclusion. The report takes all aspects of the evaluation into account to reach a conclusion of what your work future looks like. It should describe the general occupational fields you qualify for and a range of how much you should expect to make.

So You’ve Got the Report. Now, What Do You Do With It?

You’ve got to have a skilled workers’ comp attorney you can trust to perform an independent review of the report, share it with you, and develop the best strategy for your settlement.

If you’re wondering whether you might need a vocational evaluation in your case, you need answers from someone who’s on your side. Our firm works to protect and provide for folks like you. Fill out our Get Help Now form at the top of this page or call (864) 582-0416 for a free*, no-pressure strategy session to give you peace of mind. You can also download our book The Hurt Worker’s Toolkit to get valuable information to help you.

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Rob Usry

Rob is a Spartanburg personal injury lawyer. Rob also practices as a workers’ compensation attorney.

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John Holland

John Holland is a Spartanburg Family law attorney, practicing since 2012.

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