Secondary injuries should be covered
If your work injury leads to a secondary injury – infection after surgery, for example – it should be covered by workers’ compensation. If you hadn’t received the initial injury, you wouldn’t have the related injuries, so Illinois law allows the worker to receive benefits for both.
The range of secondary injuries is broad: bad reactions to medication, injury to another body party during physical therapy, hurting your arm from having to use crutches, contracting an infection or other illness during a hospital stay, surgical errors, etc.
Initially, you shouldn’t be surprised if the insurance company denies responsibility for your secondary injury or condition. It’s going to cost them more money, so it’s in their best interest to say it’s not covered. Don’t take their word for it. The law in Illinois says that anything arising from your work injury also should be covered. In our experience, this ends up happening, but sometimes you have to fight for it.
If your employer suggests using your group health insurance for a secondary injury, or the insurance adjuster suggests using Medicare, check with a workers’ comp attorney before following their advice.
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.
