Common question…it goes something like this: I live in Evanston, I was injured while working at my job in Skokie. Can I file my workers’ compensation case at the courthouse in Skokie? The answer to that is no. By Illinois law, your claim would have to be filed downtown at the Thomson Center.
The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission is responsible for handling the workers’ compensation cases throughout the state of Illinois. The main location for the Commission is in Chicago, and all the cases originate there. The cases are then assigned to be heard at an office closest to where the injury happened. If the injury happened outside of Illinois, then the office closest to your home will hear the case.
There are hearing locations throughout Illinois. For Cook County cases, your case will be heard in Chicago, even though you may have been injured at a job which is close to the courthouse in Skokie or Rolling Meadows. Similarly, if you are hurt in DuPage County, your case will be heard in Wheaton. And if you are hurt in Lake County, your case will be heard in Waukegan. Some of the other hearing locations include Rockford, Peoria, and Decatur, to name a few.
Because the cases are not heard in every suburban courthouse, most lawyers that concentrate their practice representing injured workers will have their office close to the hearing locations. If a lawyer will be handling cases for clients in Chicago every day, they would be most likely to have a downtown office. Our firm has a network of workers’ compensation attorneys that are located throughout Illinois, and situated to be able to handle cases at the many hearing locations. When you contact us, we figure out which lawyer is best for you and part of that analysis has to do with the amount of experience the attorney has before the Arbitrator who will hear the case if it goes to trial.
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.