Imagine that you have finally reached the point where you can return to your job after a work injury. It seems like good news, but what if there is no job for you when you return? The unfortunate reality is that you can’t turn around and go back to getting workers’ compensation benefits instead. Once … Continue Reading
I didn’t know that the Yellow Pages is still in existence, but it is. Apparently some attorney in a very rural county in southern Illinois has an ad on there that says he has more than 20 years of successfully handling Illinois workers’ compensation claims. The problem for one of his clients that ended up … Continue Reading
There are lots of insurance company tricks out there as well as bad employers who will lie to you. An example of this came up recently with a gentleman that I consulted with on an accident. He didn’t need the help of me or any lawyer in my network because fortunately his injuries were … Continue Reading
In Illinois, workers’ compensation law gives workers certain benefits if they are injured on the job. One major benefit in many cases is payment of 2/3 of your average weekly wage until you’re well enough to return to work. But many people have more than one job. What happens if you get hurt at one … Continue Reading
It’s not uncommon for us to hear about an employee who got hurt on the job because they weren’t following proper safety precautions. An employer might have various consequences for employees who don’t follow safety rules, but they can’t take away your right to workers’ compensation benefits. Illinois law decides who can and can’t get … Continue Reading
The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission just released new minimum and maximum benefits rates, which they do twice a year. These are the upper and lower limits on the amount you get if you can’t work because of an injury. You get wage loss benefits called Temporary Total Disability (TTD) if you can’t work while you … Continue Reading
If you are injured on the job and unable to work as a result, you can qualify for temporary total disability benefits. These benefits are checks for 2/3 of your usual pay. The way they are calculated is by determining your “average weekly wage” and then paying you 2/3 of that amount. The calculation of … Continue Reading
We always say that you shouldn’t delay after a work injury. Don’t delay in getting medical treatment. Don’t delay in reporting your injury to your employer. And don’t delay in filing a claim. We still believe all these things, but want to point out that if you do delay, don’t assume you’re out of luck. … Continue Reading
A reader of my blog was upset at his attorney. The reader had been injured on his full time job more than five years ago and received TTD benefits for almost three years based on 2/3 of his average weekly wage at the full time job. The problem is that he also had a … Continue Reading
Illinois workers’ compensation law sets rules for when workers can get benefits after a job injury. In the case of an employee who suffers a fatal work accident, the law provides death benefits to the spouse, children and dependents of the worker. Like any Illinois work injury, a fatal injury also needs to meet the … Continue Reading
Deadlines are one of the few predictable things in the law. Like most areas of law, Illinois workers’ compensation law provides specific deadlines. There is little room for argument if you wait too long to file your claim for benefits. Your time starts on the date of your injury. In Illinois, the general rule is … Continue Reading
If you can’t work after a job injury, and you qualify for Illinois workers’ compensation, you should receive 2/3 of your average weekly wage in the form of benefits checks. This benefit is called Temporary Total Disability, or TTD. Your TTD checks should come on a regular basis, with the first one ideally arriving within … Continue Reading
No. You should not lose your workers’ compensation benefits because you get laid off or fired. That doesn’t mean your employer won’t threaten you with it, or that you won’t get bad advice from someone else out there, but in general your benefits should not stop if you lose your job. Getting fired doesn’t change … Continue Reading
A work injury doesn’t only affect your physical health. If a full recovery isn’t possible, your career path can be significantly altered. What happens if you never can return to your job? What if you are forced to work in an alternative field, or take a position in which your pay will never be as … Continue Reading
Illinois is one of the better states to be in when it comes to workers’ compensation benefits. The law provides injured workers with payment for wage loss if they can’t work, coverage of medical bills and other benefits. Medical coverage is 100% for all medical treatment that is reasonable and related to your condition. The … Continue Reading
While we emphasize with our clients that nothing is more important than your health (and all of the lawyers in our statewide network feel that way), it’s not unusual that 98% of the people that we talk to also want to know what their case is worth or other things about the value of their … Continue Reading
Injured at your part-time job? Notify your employer and file a claim for benefits. There are some categories of workers that are not allowed to collect workers’ compensation benefits when they’re injured, but part-time workers are not among them. Part-timers get the same benefits as those who work full time – coverage of all medical … Continue Reading
Here are some questions we’ve received recently and thought we would share, since the answers apply to many people with a potential workers’ compensation claim. How do I give my employer official notice of my injury? I was told I have to do this. Yes, the law in Illinois requires an injured worker to notify … Continue Reading
We all remember the story of the boy who cried wolf. When a wolf was finally coming, nobody believed him and things didn’t work out so well. Well, I got asked to take over (and I declined) a case that is similar. Seems this disgruntled worker kept on telling his co-workers that he needed … Continue Reading
Twice a year, the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission releases new minimum and maximum benefits rates, which are upper and lower limits on the amount an individual can receive if they are unable earn their regular wages because of a work injury. For example, Temporary Total Disability (TTD) is what you can get if you are … Continue Reading
A caller to my office was seriously injured on the job. He appears to be permanently and totally disabled which means he’ll never return to work ever again. He had a terrible back injury with three surgeries and did not make a good recovery. Unfortunately he was not looking for legal help as he … Continue Reading
The title to this post was actually the subject line of an e-mail from a claims adjustor for an insurance company that represents a large corporation. The e-mail went on to read that the case had to get wrapped up in January and only January and that she wasn’t going to overpay either. This … Continue Reading
If the insurance company is playing games, such as denying your claim without a good reason and generally jerking you around, you can file what’s called a petition for penalties. Sections 16 and 19 of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act give workers this option when their TTD benefits are unreasonably denied or their medical bills … Continue Reading
The most common question we get is “What is my case worth?” That depends on a number of things including what is your average weekly wage (“AWW”). The AWW is typically based on the money you earned in the 52 weeks prior to your accident. It can vary based on overtime hours, having a … Continue Reading
