Are Amazon Injured Workers Being Made Homeless?

We’ve helped a lot of Amazon employees over the last few years.  They are working so hard and moving so many products that they sustain a lot of injuries. In fact Amazon was named one of the 12 most dangerous places to work.  We’ve been a part of numerous recoveries for many Illinois Amazon workers.

So I was shocked to read an article recently that says Amazon is refusing to file claims for injured workers and some of them are ending up homeless as a result.

While this article isn’t “fake news” it does require some context and understanding of laws.

While every State has a workers’ compensation system, they are all very different.  Texas, which is one of the States mentioned in this article, is known as one of the worst for employees.  In Illinois if an employer doesn’t carry work comp insurance, it’s a felony.  In places like Florida and I believe Texas it happens all of the time with basically no repercussions other than the injured workers getting screwed.

In Illinois Amazon can’t refuse to file a claim and if they somehow did, we could file a case that would get benefits going.  In the article they mention a worker who was essentially held hostage without pay or treatment.  They could try that here, but if they had not good reason for denying benefits we’d have them punished with an order of penalties that would increase what our clients would get.

So while I don’t doubt that Amazon is doing these terrible things to employees in Texas and other States and while we’ve seen first hand that they aren’t always the best to their Illinois employees, the fact that Amazon is a huge company that controls much of the goods that are moved is of no significance.

If you are injured at work at Amazon it’s not a team of lawyers that we deal with because they are a huge company.  That’s not how Illinois work comp works.  If you get hurt, report your injury, get medical treatment and go from there.  It’s a no fault law so if you are lifting a box and your back goes out on you, unless they can prove you are lying it’s not a case they can fight.

If you have questions on cases against Amazon or any other employer, call us at 312-346-5578 for a free consultation. We cover all of Illinois.