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Category: Workers’ Compensation Blog

Three Fighterfighters Injured In South Emerald Ave Fire

A fire occurred over the weekend in Chicagos Englewood neighborhood, which is located on the south side.  Three firefighters were injured while working on the fire. This all happened around 5:30 a.m. On Saturday morning. The house that the fire started in was located on the 6700 block of South Emerald Avenue. It began in the basement of the 1½ story home. Although the cause of the fire remains a mystery as of yet, we do know that one other...

Filing for Workers Compensation in Illinois

Each state is different, so in case youre new to Illinois, here is a bit on advice the workers compensation process in our state. This might also be helpful for you if youve never filed before and just need some guidance. Illinois allows your on-the-job injury to be reported for up to 45 days after the incident occurred.  If you take action after the 45 day window, you risk losing your rights to the compensation benefits.  This is why its...

Injuries That Police Officers Can Suffer From In The Line Of Duty

In protecting the rest of us, police officers are required to place themselves into dangerous situations on a regular basis. As such, the unfortunate reality is that police officers, at some time or another, will likely suffer injuries related to their work. You may think that your Department will "take care of you" in the event of an injury, and that it is unnecessary for you to consult with an attorney. Relying on your municipality to "do the right thing,"...

Maintenance Worker Died in Sewer Flash Flood

Gustavo Briceno and another employee of Kenny Construction were working in the northwest side of the North Rockwall Street sewer. Flash floods hit around 8:30 p.m., and their maintenance job was interrupted by a surge of water. Bricenos coworker was strapped into his safety harness and was pulled to recovery. Luckily, he survived without harm. Briceno, himself, unfortunately, had removed his safety harness to reach a confined space within the sewer. He was swept away by the rush of water....

Workers Compensation In History

The idea of workers compensation dates back further than you might expect.  The topic was first documented in the Code of Ur-Nammu, which is the oldest known law code that exists today, estimated from the year 2050 B.C.  It was written in Sumerian on tablets, and originates from Mesopotamia. Although earlier laws did exist before this, the Code of Ur-Nammu is recognized as the earliest extant legal text. From tablet Number 3191, it has been translated that monetary compensation was...

Silica Dust To Be Reduced

GWC is pleased to share the news that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed a new, long-awaited rule that would significantly reduce workers exposure to silica dust. Crystalline silica, or silica dust, is created during work with stone, concrete, brick or mortar. It also commonly results from glass manufacturing and sand blasting. When these tiny particles enter a workers lungs, they can cause lung cancer and silicosis, a progressive and incurable respiratory disease. Over two million workers...

Changes to Illinois Workers Compensation Laws Go Into Effect

Today, a number of the changes to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act that were approved by the Illinois Legislature back in June will go into effect, effectively making it more difficult for workers to receive fair workers compensation when they get injured on the job. The Chicago Tribune pointed out some of the pitfalls of these changes and how they will adversely affect workers’ rights going forward. One of the major changes made to the Act is a 30% cut...

Chicago Man Receives Workers Compensation For Heart Attack

A Chicago man was recently able to receive workers’ compensation benefits after suffering a heart attack. The man was a construction project manager who successfully demonstrated that the stress of his job increased his risk of experiencing a heart attack. Risk & Insurance Magazine reports that this ruling means that an Illinois worker is entitled to workers’ compensation benefits if he or she is able to prove that their working conditions increased their risk of experiencing an adverse health event...

Chicago Workers Compensation Attorney Settles 5 Cases for $1 Million Total

At GWC Injury Lawyers, we strive to get our clients the best results possible, and as Illinois’ largest personal injury and workers’ compensation law firm, our firm possesses the unique capability to provide our clients with representation in both work-related claims and third-party lawsuits. This allows our clients to rest assured that they will receive the maximum compensation for their injuries. Just this past month, one of our workers’ compensation attorneys was able to settle five cases for a total...