What happens if someone dies from a work related injury in Illinois?
This question was just raised to us by the co-worker of a young man (22) that died in a job related accident. This unfortunate young man was not married and had no kids. He also did not have anyone that was financially dependent upon him. He is survived by two parents and a sibling.
In this case, because no third party was responsible for the death, the only benefits that are available are payments of his medical bills and payment for his funeral (up to $8,000). Under Illinois workers' compensation law, when there is a wrongful death on the job, you can't sue your employer for negligence. If there are dependents or a spouse they will receive death benefits that pay a minimum of $500,000.00. If no spouse or dependents then there is nothing that we can do for the family.
When we get these calls we look at every possible angle to see if someone can be held responsible so please don't read this post (or any other on the site) and draw a firm conclusion about your case.
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.
