This was a comment from a reader who got lateral epicondylitis from working as an assembly line worker. With no training he started a 12 hour day with heavy use of his right arm. At the end of the 2nd day his elbow was really hurting him. After two more days of work he went to his doctor who referred him to an orthopedic specialist that made the diagnosis.
He didn’t want to risk his job, but knew that if he failed to report his injury to his boss he could forfeit his right to workers’ compensation benefits in Illinois. He told his foreman that his doctor felt the job was contributing to the problem and the foreman just blew it off saying that he didn’t work there long enough to have a job injury.
Of course the foreman is wrong. This is a legitimate injured, detailed as caused by the job from a medical doctor who specializes in treating elbow problems. We will take on this case and get benefits for our client who now needs surgery. Had he waited too long he likely wouldn’t have been able to do the job and he would have risked eligibility for benefits. If they let him go they will have to keep paying him benefits until he has a full duty release so they actually have a motivation to keep him on.
Moral of the story: Don’t listen to non-attorneys when determining if you have a valid case. This is especially true if the person giving the "advice" doesn’t have your best interests at heart.
We are workers’ compensation attorneys that help people with Illinois work injuries anywhere in IL via our statewide network of attorneys. Contact us and we will answer your questions or find the right lawyer for your situation.