What is my Illinois workers compensation case worth? What should I get for my workmans comp claim. TTD payments Chicago, wage differential, permanent disability law Illinois.
A reader called me with an interesting question. He wanted to know if the insurance company for his employer could deny him work comp benefits because he was not performing his normal duties at the time of the accident. The answer is, it depends. He normally did a desk job, but on the … Continue Reading
A reader (who is not a client) e-mailed me. Her attorney has settled her case with the other lawyer in court five weeks ago. She was about to testify in a trial and it was settled and reported that way to the Arbitrator. She left the courthouse after agreeing to resolve everything. Her work comp … Continue Reading
Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act, one thing you get are reasonable medical expenses to be paid to help you with your recovery. Typically people think of this as doctors visits, physical therapy, x-rays, etc. For most injured workers, this is all that you will get. However, if you have a more major injury, … Continue Reading
A trucker who had already hired a Rockford work comp law firm to handle his case, called me because he wasn’t happy with his service. He was upset because this lawyer has been on the case for two months and hasn’t gotten him any benefits. He wanted to know if this was normal and if … Continue Reading
When you are injured on the job, you get TTD benefits which is short for temporary total disability. This is 2/3 of your average weekly wage, tax free. There are minimums and maximums for what you can get based on when you were injured and how much you were making at the time you got … Continue Reading
A reader asks: About 4 months ago I got hurt at work I hurt my knee from kneeling a lot at work from working on equipment I have seen doctors and did 12 appointments of pt and have been released from doctor I lost about 35 hr of work for doctor appointments, haven’t heard … Continue Reading
In Illinois, workers who are injured on the job are entitled to certain benefits. These are not paid by the employer but rather by an insurance company. Most employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. After an injury, you file a claim with the insurer. Illinois law says what workers’ compensation benefits must be … Continue Reading
When an injury happens outside of the workplace, workers’ compensation benefits are still available in many cases. It often depends on how close of a connection there is between your job and your injury. Traveling employees, for example, spend a lot of their work time away from their employer’s physical place of business. The law … Continue Reading
The general rule in Illinois is that a worker is not entitled to workers’ compensation benefits for an emotional or psychological injury. Although the harm that can be caused by a stressful work environment is very real, it is not an injury that usually qualifies for workers’ compensation under Illinois law. However, there are some … Continue Reading
A reader asks: I hurt my hand and my doctor says it’s because of the job I’ve been doing for the last 20 years. He wants me to work light duty, but that does exist in my company. Can I go on unemployment? The answer is you “could” but why would you? This seems to … Continue Reading
Even if a work injury is your fault, you are generally still entitled workers’ compensation benefits. It’s not a loophole – it’s the way the law was meant to work. Workers’ compensation provides 100% coverage of medical bills and payment for lost wages regardless of fault. This means your employer’s fault doesn’t matter either. The … Continue Reading
Many employers in Illinois try to get out of their obligation to pay workers’ compensation benefits or payroll taxes by calling their workers independent contractors. They might call you that, but it doesn’t mean you are one. We have to look at how much control they have over you. The more control they have, the … Continue Reading
It’s not uncommon for us to get a call that goes something like: “I hired an attorney, but they tell me it will take years for my case to settle even though I’m all better.” Another one we hear a lot is from workers who don’t have an attorney that are hoping to get their … Continue Reading
I’ve been contacted by five current or former NFL players about representation in the last six months. Their injuries arranged from career ending problems to minor stuff like leg injuries that ended a season, but didn’t end a career. Not all of them are former Chicago Bears players, but the ones that weren’t got injured … Continue Reading
Two years ago, the Illinois workers’ compensation laws were overhauled to the big benefit of employers and insurance companies and at the expense of injured workers. This was after the Illinois Chamber of Commerce got the same thing to happen five years before that and weren’t happy with the results. Now the word on the … Continue Reading
A good lawyer for work injuries in Illinois wants to get their client the most money possible for two reasons. One is that it’s the right thing to do. Two is that selfishly, the more we get for you, the more we get for us. Despite the fact that most lawyers would want more in … Continue Reading
Whether callers and clients say it up front or not, 99% of them are thinking to themselves, “what is my case worth?” It’s a sensible thought and one that leads to bad decisions for some. The better question to ask is what is a good settlement for your case? If you just got hurt and … Continue Reading
After a work injury, you might be unable to do the same job you had been doing for years. This could be a temporary situation or it could be permanent. Some employers are able to accommodate your restrictions by finding you light duty work. You may have to take a different job, which results in … Continue Reading
Illinois law says that if you are injured while doing your job then you are entitled to certain benefits. You are entitled to these regardless of fault. So it doesn’t matter if you caused your injury by being careless or if your employer was negligent and caused your injury. Filing a claim is not like … Continue Reading
I hear a lot of false stuff every day from talking to clients, prospective clients and even other lawyers and insurance companies. Here are some lies that you should be aware of in no particular order. Your employer can’t access your medical records because of HIPAA – This is a law that deals with patient … Continue Reading
If you don’t have an attorney, the answer is probably no. It’s your right to settle if you want, but we can honestly say that in our experience you are not going to get a fair settlement offer from the insurance company without some help. A good attorney knows how the insurance companies work and … Continue Reading
There are many reasons why someone might put off filing a claim. We don’t recommend it, but it happens. As long as the statute of limitations hasn’t passed, you can still file a claim, even if it’s been a year or two or more. A statute of limitations is a deadline. It tells you how … Continue Reading
Hard to believe that 2012 is almost over. No matter when you were hurt on the job, you’ll never have a better chance at settling your case than right now. The reason this is true is because many insurance adjusters are paid based on how many cases they close out every year. In other words, … Continue Reading
A reader asks: I had a work accident and hit by head. I was diagnosed with post concussion syndrome. I still have ringing in my ears and suffer from daily headaches. I have been released for light duty work, but not really myself yet. I can only work 20 hours a week per my doctor. … Continue Reading
