Illinois workers’ compensation law prevents employees from suing their employers in the event of a workplace injury, including illnesses contracted on the job.
However, employees may be able to recover benefits if they become ill as a result of performing workplace duties.
Rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft have become vastly popular throughout the nation, including in the state of Illinois. Along with that increased popularity is an increased incidence of accidents involving rideshare company drivers.
Given the parties involved in these accidents, it may be difficult to collect damages. Doing so depends on who is at fault and the role you played at the time.
Personal injury cases have a time limit in which you can file a claim. Once that time limit expires, you’re no longer able to file a lawsuit. The reason for this is to make sure lawsuits are handled in a timely manner before supporting evidence deteriorates, but it can mean the difference between receiving adequate compensation and not.
Most personal injury cases in the state have a two-year statute of limitations. That means you must pursue a lawsuit within two years of the incident that caused your injury.
The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC) handles workers’ comp claim denials, typically through an arbitrator. Those who appeal the arbitrator’s decision must appeal to the IWCC directly. After the IWCC, the only option is to go to court.
The process can be difficult, but it may be possible in some situations. Here, we’ll discuss the appeals process and how to best appeal an IWCC decision.
A car accident case can be challenging enough when you have just one other driver involved. When there are two, three, four, or more drivers involved in a wreck, it can complicate things even further. In some cases, liability may not be completely clear, and there may be mitigating factors involved as well.
The end result is a much more challenging personal injury case. Following are some of the challenges of multi-car accidents when it comes to personal injury claims.
A work injury may lead to a long-term disability, in some cases permanently limiting one’s ability to work. In Illinois, disability benefits are available under workers’ compensation, though there is one other option available as well—Social Security disability insurance (SSDI). These two types of benefits work in different ways, and it’s important to know which will benefit you most in the event of a job-related injury.
The ultimate purpose of workers’ compensation is to cover your expenses in the event of a work-related injury. In Illinois, that typically means medical expenses and related costs, though it can cover lost wages, job rehabilitation, and long-term disability, especially if an injury leaves you permanently crippled.
Accidents involving tractor trailers and other large commercial vehicles can be devastating. Recovering enough to pay for your injuries can be a challenge in these cases, partly due to how these types of lawsuits work.
While it may be simple enough to prove that the truck driver was indeed at fault for your injuries, actually recovering damages may prove a challenge.
Slipping and falling on a floor or walkway may not always seem immediately serious, but the truth is slip, trip, and fall accidents can have severe results. According to the CDC, roughly between 20% and 30% of slip and fall accidents result in moderate to severe injuries, including fractures and head trauma.
The following facts and statistics show just how serious these types of injuries can get:
If you have been injured at work, you may decide to settle your claim instead of receiving ongoing workers’ compensation benefits. Settling can impact how much compensation you’d receive, and there are various factors that go into calculating the amount.
One of the factors involved in calculating a workers’ compensation settlement is the total amount of benefits you’d be eligible to receive. In Illinois, workers’ comp is designed to cover the following:
The process of recovering damages after an accident can be complicated and stressful, and you might wonder when you should start involving a personal injury lawyer. In most cases, it’s recommended that you get legal help, even if it’s nothing more than a quick consultation on whether you have a case.
Some of the following situations will most likely warrant the help of a personal injury attorney.
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