We are experienced Chicago work comp attorneys who talk and act like normal human beings. We help with cases everywhere in Illinois. Call or email for a free consultation with an attorney any time.
Every couple of months we do a post that answers some questions that we don’t want to make in to a full blog post. Here are four good ones that readers have had recently.
- I had a favorable IME report. What does that mean for my case? Well, as long as your primary doctor is on the same page then it should be full steam ahead for any medical treatment you need. Believe it or not though, we’ve seen many insurance companies try to play games even when the IME is against them. This can include trying to get an addendum to the IME report to make it help them or trying to set up a second IME. In almost every case we’d tell a client not to go to that additional IME, but instead would file a penalties and fees petition for any unreasonable delay in your treatment being approved.
- Is there an Illinois worker comp settlement chart? There is no chart that tells you how much your case will be worth. Every case is different and should be evaluated on its on merits. That said, there is a disability table that tells you what each body part is worth if you do get injured. We use this chart along with an analysis of your medical records, wages and claim facts to determine what your case is worth. There is also a book called the Q-Dex that provides descriptions of trial awards in some Illinois work comp cases. This can be a helpful guide in predicting what would happen if your case went to trial.
- What is the Illinois Industrial Commission? That is what the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission was originally called. They changed the name about 15 years ago to try and reflect what it really does. Bottom line is that it doesn’t affect your case in any way. The change was made to try and make the process less confusing for the public.
- How do I get a copy of the IME report? Another good question. Usually the insurance company will send one to your or lawyer. Sometimes when it’s not in their favor, they won’t provide a copy. When that happens we will subpoena the doctor. In rare cases an insurance company will direct the doctor not to prepare a report after being verbally told they will not like what it says. In those cases it creates a presumption at trial that the IME would have been in your favor and helps your case.
We’ll do another one of these this summer. As always, if you have any questions you can contact us any time.