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Amendment To Illinois Workers’ Compensation

A recent decision rendered by the Illinois Workers Compensation commission will go a long way in shaping how the American Medical Association (AMA) ratings will affect Permanent Partial Disability awards and settlements. As many already know, the Illinois General Assembly amended the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act in June 2011. Under the amendments and pursuant to Section 8.1b of the Act the Commission shall base PPD awards on the following factors: the level of impairment according to the AMA guidelines the...

Are After Hours Injuries Covered By Workers Comp?

If you are injured in a car accident while running a work-related errand outside of normal business hours, can you receive workers' compensation for your injuries? In Illinois, the answer is yes, depending on the particular situation. A case heard by the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission involved a car accident in which a director of investment was injured. Her job required her to promote her employer's business, so to spruce up her employer's booth at a business exposition, she decided...

South Side Accident Leaves Man In Serious Condition

Earlier this month, a 60-year-old Chicago man was badly injured in a construction accident on the Far South Side. His story is an unfortunate example of how construction remains one of the most dangerous industries for workers today, even though it has made strides over the past few decades in protecting workers. According to the Chicago Fire Department, the man was working at a construction site in the 8300 block of South Lyon Avenue when a porch overhang fell on him....

OSHA Fines Norfolk Southern After Firing Worker

Here are a few things about workplace injuries that employers and their insurance companies don't want to hear: that the full extent of your injuries may not be apparent at first; that you have the right to seek medical treatment from someone other than the "company doctor;" and that you have the right to deny treatment immediately after a workplace accident. After all, your injuries may be worse than you initially thought they were. And one major thing that Chicago-area...

Three Firefighters Injured In Oak Lawn Blaze

There are some professions in which danger and injury is a normal part of the job. One of those professions is that of a Chicago firefighter. Despite the training, the safety gear and all of the precautions, it still happens occasionally that a firefighter suffers an on-the-job injury. In Oak Lawn recently there occurred a house fire which resulted in extensive damage to the residence and an assortment of injuries to three firefighters that responded to the blaze. As these...

OSHA closes investigation of 2 deaths after building collapse

Chicago is home to one regional office of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration. The federal agency investigates all kinds of work-related accidents, but it pays special attention to fatal accidents, which happen all too often in the construction business. But even when OSHA rules that an employer was in violation of federal guidelines in a construction accident, it's difficult for injured workers or their families to achieve a favorable outcome unless they have the help of an attorney. OSHA's...

Is Dust A Major Cause Of Worker Illness?

There shouldn't be any question: employees in Chicago and throughout Illinois are entitled to a reasonably safe workplace. This right is granted by law in the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, otherwise known as OSHA, enforces. Employers who neglect to take the necessary steps to ensure a safe workplace are in violation of OSHA regulations, and workers who are injured on the job are likely eligible to receive workers' compensation benefits. With these...

IL Factory Explosion That Injured Three Prompts OSHA Investigation

In a recent post we discussed an explosion at a Caterpillar plant that seriously injured a worker. Unfortunately, a similar catastrophe has occurred at another Illinois factory, injuring three workers this time. The workers in the more recent accidents may face the same struggles, both in their physical recovery from burn injuries and their attempts to gain compensation for the costs associated with those injuries. The latest explosion happened Wednesday last week at a paint factory in Cary, about 45...

Benefits Of Lump Sum Payments To Injured Workers

When a Chicago worker suffers an on-the-job injury, the employer and the employee may have different motivations and thoughts about what should happen next. An employer may want the worker to get back on the job as quickly as possible and minimize the financial impact. An employee may be more concerned about healing, and more concerned about the financial impact of the injury. A recent study conducted by the Workers Compensation Research Institute, looked for patterns among those who were...