Joliet City worker wins benefits despite pre-existing condition
Fresh off the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission presses:
We weren't involved in this case, but a Joliet maintenance worker who had a very significant pre-existing back problem was able to win a claim that his lumbar fusion was part of a new workers' compensation claim.
The worker had back surgery in 2003 and some problems after that. He was working his normal job in 2006 when he jumped off a tractor and the back problem became worse. Ultimately he had the fusion.
The Arbitrator and Commission relied on the worker's doctor who felt that he was in reasonably good health before he jumped off the tractor. The jump aggravated the pre-existing problem to the point that a surgery was needed and the worker couldn't do his normal job.
The moral of the story is that a pre-existing problem does not bar you from having a case. If your job accident aggravates or accelerates your problem you should win.
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.
