We have been helping injured workers in Illinois since 1997 and help everywhere in IL via our state-wide network of experienced attorneys. If you would like a free consultation, you can call us any time at 888-705-1766. You will speak with an attorney and get direct, honest advice.

I recently had a chat with an injured worker who asked a direct, but vague question. She said:

I was assaulted at work, what are my options?

The answer is that she has a lot of options, all of which depend on what happened and what her ongoing issues are.

Option 1 is to go to the police. It’s a crime and especially if someone physically assaults you without cause, this is something you should consider. You could also get an order of protection against them to prevent them from coming near you.

Option 2 is to get treatment for a physical injury. We’ve helped in hundreds of these cases and have had clients with broken orbital bones, broken noses, back injuries from falling to the ground, and many other problems. Assuming you weren’t the aggressor in the fight, you can get work comp benefits for this physical injury.

Option 3 is to get treatment for a mental injury. If being assaulted at work leads to PTSD or other issues, Illinois work comp law allows you to get treatment for that with no cost to you. We see this a lot when people are robbed at work or if the assaulter is especially threatening.

Option 4 is a lawsuit against the individual who assaults you or against a security company or other third party potentially. You can’t sue your employer for negligence, but you can sue people for intentional acts that cause harm. You can also sue a security company if they don’t properly screen members of the public when they are supposed to. That’s rare, but it happens.

Option 5 is to do a combo of the above. Sometimes you have both a physical and mental injury. Other times you need medical care, but also call the police. In some cases, all four of those options happen. Your situation is unique and we will try to help you figure out what is best for you.

And of course, if you aren’t injured or don’t feel like doing anything, that is an option too. Our goal is truly to help you figure out what is best for you.

If you were assaulted at work and have any questions about Illinois work comp law, please do not hesitate to contact us at any time.