Cook County Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

If you sustained injuries while working on the job and can no longer perform your duties as you were able to before the accident, you could collect workers’ compensation. State laws require that employers offer this insurance and pay medical costs for any employee who was hurt while completing their duties.

However, the process is highly complex, and it is not uncommon for the commission to turn employees down when they file for claims. A skilled personal injury attorney could help you apply and navigate the process while you recover. If you sustained injuries completing your duties on the job, contact a Cook County workers’ compensation lawyer to begin your claim.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits Available in This State

There are various categories of workers’ compensation benefits available for residents of Illinois who sustain injuries at work. A Cook County workers’ comp attorney could help prepare the claim and collect documents needed to establish a claim for benefits. There are a few different categories for potential benefits.

Lost Wages

When a person cannot work for three days or longer because of an injury they sustained at work, they could receive a portion of their salary while recovering at home.

Medical Bills

State laws require that employers pay necessary and reasonable medical costs for injuries that their employees suffer while on the job.

Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits

When employees sustain injuries and can no longer perform the job duties in the way that they did before the accident, compensation could cover vocational study or schooling costs.

Permanent and Total Disability Benefits

When work injuries lead to a permanent disability and a person can no longer perform their job duties, they could be eligible to receive permanent and total disability benefits, known as PTD.

Permanent and Partial Disability Benefits

After suffering an accident that leads to permanent and total disability benefits, the commission would calculate their total permanent partial disability benefits or PPD.

Death Benefits

When an employee sustains fatal injuries while performing their job duties, workers’ comp could pay death benefits to eligible family members.

Permanent Partial Disability Compensation for Work Injuries

As per 820 Illinois Compiled Statutes § 305/8, when a person sustains injuries that cause permanent partial disability while on the job, they could be eligible to receive PPD. The statute considers physical impairment or disfigurement, amputations, and other related injuries to be permanent disabilities. Benefits could include:

  • Pay differential- If the employee must take a lower-paying job, pay differential would pay them to make up for a portion of their previous salary
  • Schedule injury benefits- The statute bases the number of weeks of payment on the type of injury sustained
  • Percentage of loss- If the injury is not on the list of scheduled injury benefits, the commission would evaluate the case to determine benefits using a percentage of loss calculation
  • Degree of disfigurement- When a worker sustains a severe injury to a portion of their body, the commission calculates PPD benefits depending on the degree of the disfigurement

It is easy for a person unfamiliar with these rules to make a mistake when calculating their potential benefits. A workers’ comp lawyer in Cook County could help review the claim and accurately calculate total potential PPD benefits.

Meet With a Cook County Workers’ Compensation Attorney

If you suffered injuries while completing your duties at work, you could have the right to collect workers’ compensation for the loss of pay and benefits. The filing process can be difficult and there are many essential elements to cover when submitting your claim. Many employers also use tactics to avoid paying the costs after one of their employees sustains an injury.

A skilled legal professional understands how this system works and could advocate on your behalf. If you were in an accident while operating in the scope of your employment, contact a Cook County workers’ compensation lawyer to schedule a consultation.