Workers compensation in Illinois and pain and suffering
In general there are only three benefits you can get under Illinois workers' compensation law: Payment of all related medical bills, 2/3 of your average weekly wage tax free for the time you are off work and permanency which compensates you for the permanent nature of your injury.
A lot of clients want to know compensation for pain and suffering, especially when they are severely hurt or they have been treated poorly. Unfortunately pain and suffering is not a benefit you can get under Illinois workers compensation law.
We can in some cases file for what is called penalties and fees. If there has been an unreasonable denial of your benefits and/or an unreasonable delay, we can petition the Arbitrator to award you this additional compensation. This can mean up to $10,000 in payments for late pay from the time you have lost for work and up to 50% of any medical bills (e.g. If you are wrongly denied a surgery that would cost $30,000.00, the Arbitrator would make them pay for the surgery and give you an additional $15,000.00).
Since these cases aren't lawsuits we can't get the Arbitrator to award you pain and suffering compensation nor can you get money for your spouse for the suffering they have gone through as a result of you not being yourself.
When we go to trial we do make sure that the Arbitrator hears about all of these problems though because when it comes to compensating you for how the injury has permanently affected you, we think it's relevant.
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.
