If you’ve been injured at work, it’s important to know your rights and the benefits available under Illinois workers’ compensation laws. A Des Plaines workers’ compensation lawyer can guide you through the process and protect your rights. Our personal injury law firm has decades of experience with workers’ comp claims, and we’re ready to provide legal representation for you.
In this Article
What Are Illinois Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act (820 ILCS 305, et al.), the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC) manages the Illinois workers’ compensation system—requiring most employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance. This no-fault system provides financial and medical benefits to union and non-union workers for work-related injuries or illnesses, without needing to prove fault.
What Benefits Are Included?
Workers’ compensation benefits include:
Temporary Total Disability (TTD): wage replacement and medical care for workers temporarily unable to work
Temporary Partial Disability (TPD): support for injured workers returning to work with reduced earnings
Permanent Partial Disability (PPD): benefits for workers with permanent injuries or impairments
Permanent Total Disability (PTD): lifetime financial support for permanent disabilities
Vocational rehabilitation benefits: helping workers retrain and access programs when they are permanently unable to return to their old job
Death benefits: financial support and funeral expense coverage for dependents of workers who die from workplace injuries or illnesses
Why Can Workers’ Compensation Cases Be Denied?
Under Illinois workers’ compensation law, benefits may be denied for several reasons. These include failing to report the injury or illness within the required time limit, insufficient evidence to validate the claim, the presence of preexisting conditions that contributed to the injury or illness, or if the injury occurred outside of work or during non-work-related activities.
Why Do I Need a Des Plaines Workers’ Comp Attorney?
A dedicated workers’ compensation lawyer can negotiate with the insurance company to seek maximum compensation for you, make sure your bills for medical treatment are paid, and ensure your checks don’t stop without warning.
An IL workers’ compensation attorney can also handle employer disputes or complications that arise during the workers’ compensation process.
What Is a Third-Party Lawsuit in a Workers’ Compensation Case?
In some workers’ compensation cases, an injured worker can file a personal injury lawsuit against a third party if their negligence caused the workplace injury. These personal injury cases can provide additional compensation beyond what Illinois workers’ compensation covers, such as pain and suffering.
For example, if an injury occurred in a car accident on the job, the injured person may have the right to pursue a personal injury claim. If the injured party loses their life, their family may be able to file a wrongful death claim.
Common Types of Workplace Accidents in Des Plaines
Workers’ compensation claims frequently arise from common workplace incidents, such as overexertion or repetitive stress injuries, machinery malfunctions, exposure to hazardous chemicals, vehicle accidents occurring during job-related activities, and slips, trips, and falls. Some of these incidents may require ongoing treatment.
Most Common Workplace Injuries
Some of the more common injuries that affect workers include:
What to Do After a Workplace Accident in Des Plaines, Illinois
If you’ve been injured in a workplace accident and need to receive disability benefits:
Report the incident to your employer right away; they must notify their workers’ compensation insurance carrier.
Get medical care for the injuries sustained and follow the doctor’s instructions.
Keep track of all your medical bills, lost wages, and any work you miss because of the injury.
Talk to workers’ compensation lawyers at our law firm who can assist you with the claim process, make sure you receive benefits, and help you obtain compensation.
Contact a Des Plaines Workers’ Comp Attorney Today
The personal injury lawyers at our Des Plaines office have a proven track record of successfully representing injured clients in Des Plaines, IL. With thorough knowledge of Illinois workers’ compensation laws, we are dedicated to serving Des Plaines workers and securing the benefits injured victims rightfully deserve.
If you or a family member has sustained injuries at work, contact us today for a free consultation.
Get help from a Des Plaines workers’ compensation lawyer if you’ve been injured on the job and need to file a workers’ compensation claim.
$7.5 Million
Recovery for a construction worker injured when a support wall fell and struck him. (Highest award on record for a construction injury in DuPage County at the time).
$3.2 Million
Recovery for a construction worker injured when he fell in an uncovered foundation trench, ranking as the highest award on record for a construction injury in McHenry County at the time.
$3 Million
Recovery for the family of a man struck by a garbage truck that was making an illegal turn.
$2.2 Million
Recovery for a salesman injured in an automobile collision.
$2 Million
Recovery for a man struck by a speeding vehicle as he waited for the CTA bus.
$1.5 Million
Recovery for a truck driver that was struck by another car on the expressway while his vehicle was disabled.
$1.4 Million
Recovery for a computer programmer that slipped and fell in the washroom at work.
Recovery for a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in a parking lot. At the time, this was the second-highest recovery on record in DuPage County for a similar injury.
$800,000
Recovered for a disputed wrongful death claim against a trucking company. The company denied they were involved in the collision.
$660,000
Recovery for a truck driver that was injured while unloading his trailer.
$550,000
Recovery for a person who slipped and fell in a grocery store.
$550,000
Recovery for a woman who injured her neck in a motor vehicle collision.
$500,000
Recovery for a pedestrian that was struck by a vehicle while standing on the sidewalk.
$500,000
$500,000 Policy limit settlement for a 48-year-old woman injured in a Cook County head-on collision after another driver made an unsafe left turn into traffic.
$460,000
Recovery for a truck driver that tripped and fell in the parking lot while making a delivery.
$450,000
Recovery for a dental assistant who slipped and fell at work on an unnatural accumulation of ice.
$425,000
Recovery for a union worker struck by a speeding vehicle.
$425,000
Recovery for a passenger in a vehicle struck by an inexperienced driver.
$415,000
Recovered for a woman that required neck surgery after aggravating an existing neck injury in a truck accident.
$400,000
Recovery for a lab technician injured while transporting equipment.
$370,000
Recovery for a construction worker injured on faulty equipment at a construction site.
$315,000
Recovery for a motorist struck by a falling utility pole.
$310,000
Recovery for a person injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$300,000
Recovery for a bicyclist struck by a vehicle.
$250,000
Recovery for a young woman struck by another vehicle.
$250,000
Recovered for a woman who sustained a partial finger amputation and other injuries in a rollover car accident. (Policy Limits)
$250,000
Recovered for a man injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$250,000
Recovered for a 60-year-old woman involved in a car accident. (Policy Limits)
$250,000
Recovered for a man hit by a semi-truck while operating a go-cart.
$240,000
Recovery for the injured party struck by another vehicle.
$235,000
Recovery for a person injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$235,000
Recovery for an inventory clerk injured when shelving toppled onto her.
$219,000
Recovery for a restaurant patron that slipped and fell in the bathroom.
$200,000
Recovered for an airline employee struck on the runway at O’Hare International Airport.
$190,000
Recovery for a person injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$175,000
Recovered for a child injured by fireworks at a fourth of July celebration.
$170,000
Recovered for a person injured when she slipped and fell exiting a major retail store.
$150,000
Recovered for a woman who fractured her leg when she was struck by a vehicle.
Latisha S.
Great service. They helped me get my money, and everyone was very pleasant even though the health insurance took a while. Everything was on point on Kryder’s side.