Chicago workers’ compensation attorney Raul V. Rodriguez recently obtained a $136,000 settlement on behalf of an undocumented roofer who was severely injured after a fall at a local jobsite. Mr. Rodriguez is a bilingual Spanish-speaking attorney who concentrates much of his practice representing Latino-American employees who suffer workplace injuries in Illinois.
The Chicago roofer represented by Mr. Rodriguez suffered severe neck, back and head injuries after a seven-foot fall from a roof. The roofer also suffered dementia and vertigo as a result of his fall but recovered enough to perform medium-level work after undergoing fusion surgery.
Mr. Rodriguez was able to obtain a $136,000 wage differential on behalf of the roofer without having him enter a vocational rehabilitation program.
A wage differential is a type of workers’ compensation award for individuals who have reduced earning capacity as a result of a workplace injury. In Illinois, a wage differential award is typically two-thirds of the difference between a worker’s pre-injury income and post-injury income.
The roofer received a wage differential award without having to undergo vocational rehabilitation, which helped him continue supporting his family without putting his life on hold to retrain for another job. A vocational rehabilitation program can be valuable benefit for many workers, but it was not in this client’s best interest because of his undocumented immigration status.
This is one of many large settlements and judgments that Raul Rodriguez has obtained on behalf of Latino clients in the Chicago area. Mr. Rodriguez also regularly holds community outreach talks to educate Latino workers on their rights and workplace safety.
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