Workers’ Comp Law in Illinois

Workplace Injuries

Just shy of 3,000,000 workplace injuries were reported in the United States during 2015, with more than 900,000 of those cases involving days away from work https://www.bls.gov/iif/. These incidents often result in the injured party incurring medical expenses, losing wages, and possibly having to pay for rehabilitation services. Additionally, more than 4,000 people died due to personal injuries sustained while on duty.

Workers’ compensation law in Illinois protects employees and enables them to file a claim for payment towards expenses incurred due to any workplace injury. The money collected is often needed to help cover hospital and doctor bills, lost wages, and when necessary, the cost of medical equipment and rehabilitation services.

 

Employer Responsibility in Illinois

 

Employers in Illinois are required by law to carry workers’ compensation insurance. This type of insurance is overseen by the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Illinois law allows employees who become injured in the course of carrying out their jobs to file for benefits from their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier.

 

Benefits & Disability

If you become injured on the job, and your claim is reviewed and accepted by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier, you will receive payment. Benefits can range anywhere from payments for medical bills to permanent disability benefits. Your benefit level will be determined by, and vary according to, the severity of your disability and whether or not you will ever be able to return to work.

Below is a list of the various disability classifications and their payouts under Illinois workers’ compensation law:

 

• Permanent and serious disfigurement of the face, head, neck, leg, hand, or arm below the knee or chest—Up to two-thirds of the employee’s weekly wages for up to 150 weeks
• Permanent partial disability—60% of employee’s average weekly wage
• Temporary total disability—Two-thirds of employee’s average weekly wage
• Other claims not categorized above—Usually two-thirds of employee’s average weekly wage

 

There is a mandatory three-day waiting period before you are able to receive benefits. If the disability lasts for 14 days or longer you are eligible for retroactive compensation. This means that you can seek payments for the time lapse between the time you became injured and when benefits began

 

Complicated Situations

Workers’ compensation claims can be very complicated; therefore it is highly recommended that you contact a Chicago workers’ compensation attorney as soon as possible after your injury. The longer you wait after an accident occurs, the more difficult it is to obtain due compensation.

 

Never accept less than what you deserve when filing a claim. Never hire inexperienced legal counsel. Contact Shea Law Group, and book a no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced Chicago workers’ compensation attorneys today. We are well prepared to help you collect the compensation you are entitled to.