GWC Injury Lawyers attorney James E. Babcock recently obtained a large workers’ compensation settlement for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) worker who lost his index finger on the job – a settlement that is far in excess of the state-mandated limits for the loss of a finger.
Prior to the accident, Mr. Babcock’s 35-year-old client was employed at two full-time jobs, one in maintenance and one in HVAC. While working at the HVAC job, he was severely injured, and ultimately lost an index finger.
As a result, the gentleman suffered significant, permanent loss of strength and dexterity of the hand. While he was able to return to his full-time maintenance job, his HVAC employer refused to accommodate the new restrictions and terminated his employment, a significant economic blow to him and his family.
“The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act provides a statutory formula for the loss of a body part, one that’s based on the worker’s wage rate and the body part in question,” explained Mr. Babcock. “Strictly based on this formula, our client would have only been entitled to $21,958.00 for the loss of his index finger.”
However, Mr. Babcock argued that, since his client’s earning capacity in the HVAC field was severely restricted and vocational counseling had been engaged, he had actually suffered a loss of trade. As a result, Mr. Babcock obtained his client a settlement in the sum of $95,630.00, more than four times the statutory loss of the finger.
Thanks to this settlement, the client was able to fulfill a lifelong dream – he has started his own HVAC business.
“He is very happy with the result,” Mr. Babcock said. “In fact, he came to my office the other day to thank me personally, and to give me his new business card.”
GWC prosecutes a wide variety of injury cases throughout Illinois, including those involving workers’ compensation, auto accidents, construction accidents, medical malpractice, and product liability. If you or your loved one has been injured, please contact our office for a free legal consultation to see if you may be eligible for financial compensation for your injuries.
Remember, you won’t pay anything until we make them pay you!
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