One thing about Illinois workers’ compensation cases that I don’t think outsiders get is that these cases are real life. If you’ve worked a labor job your whole life and now at 50 you have a major injury, you will feel like your life is on the line. That’s a normal feeling. If you are in debilitating pain, you start to think about holding kids or grandkids, missing out on activities you like to do, and how your life might change. Those are normal feelings too.
If your spouse is the only person in the family with an income and you have a sick child or are worried about losing your house, that’s a normal feeling. If you see a change in your spouse and it makes you sad, that’s a normal feeling.
Above all else, it’s OK to be scared if you have any of these feelings. Your injury or your partner’s injury is your life. A work injury, especially a serious one, can blow up your life. And it can only be made worse by an insurance company that is looking for a way to avoid paying you benefits. These are scary things to many people. Those are very valid feelings.
I can’t tell you not to be scared or worried. What I can tell you is that a good lawyer can be a real support system to help alleviate your fears. Sometimes a simple explanation of how the law works, what your alternatives are, and what resources are out there for you can make a world of difference. At least once a week, I hear from someone after a consultation about Illinois work comp laws something like, “Wow, I feel better. Nobody has explained it to me that clearly before.” That type of comment is the best part of my job.
That doesn’t mean bad things can’t happen or that every case is a winner. But what it does mean is that the law is favorable to injured workers with legitimate cases who are credible. So I can’t tell you not to be scared or not to be worried. This is your life. I can’t tell someone who is one missed payment from eviction or foreclosure not to be freaking out. What I can hopefully do is help you understand what’s realistic and what’s not. Help you understand what a likely path is for your case and how we can minimize any concerns you have. We can tell you about past clients in similar situations and how they got out of it better than expected.
So if you’d like to speak with an experienced attorney for free, with no commitment and in confidence, call us any time at 312-346-5578. And if you have any of the feelings I described, please know that these are valid thoughts and that we understand this is your life and make sure you work with an attorney who gets that too.
