Worker's Compensation - What are your rights?

Workers’ CompensationKnowing Your Rights to Secure Justice

What is Workers’ Compensation?

• It’s an insurance claim filed after one has been injured at work or while “on the job.”

• Workers’ Compensation allows a person to collect:

– 2/3‘s of his or hers work wage while injured and unable to work;

– Pays for all medical benefits to take care of the injury. – Pays the injured worker a lump sum settlement.

Common Workplace Injuries

• Shoulder & Arm• Knee Injuries• Spinal Cord Injuries• Torn Rotator Cuff• Meniscus• Carpal Tunnel• Fractures• Internal Organ Damage• Brain Injuries• Any other work-related injuries

Work Related Illnesses

• Workers’ compensation applies to work related illnesses, not just injuries.

• If someone has become ill due to something work-related, then that person may file for workers compensation in most cases.

• Nevertheless, proving an illness that was caused by the workplace can be difficult to prove in a court of law.

Types of work-related illnesses

• Hearing Loss• Fungus or Bacterial Infections• Mental Illness– E.g. trauma from witnessing a an undesirable

experience, such as an injury or death. • Plus many more

Does my injury or illness apply for workers’ compensation?

• There are many types of injuries or illnesses that apply for claiming workers’ compensation.

• Some injuries and illnesses may be long-term, traumatic or very noticeable.

• Others may be short-term, internal or go unrecognized for a period of time.

• If a person is uncertain whether his or her injury/illness is worthy of a workers’ comp claim, then that person should consult an Illinois workers’ compensation attorney.

Who Get’s Workers’ Comp?

• There are many different types of jobs/workers who are eligible for workers’ compensation, such as:•Truck and Package Delivery Workers•Construction Workers•Heavy Equipment Operators•Public Transportation Employees•Government Employees•Office Workers•Management•Nurses•Healthcare Workers•Factory Workers

•Airline Employees•Railroad Employees•Waiters•Actors•Cab Drivers•Engineers•Mechanics•Teachers•Bus Drivers•Maintenance Workers•Anyone injured on the job

Frequent Worker’s Comp Clients

• Some of the most common workers who experience injuries eligible for workers’ compensation are:

o Union Memberso Truck Driverso Factory Workerso Railroad Workerso Construction Workers

Union Members

• Chicago Unions, traditionally, are an influential unit with long-established political roots.

• No matter how strong a union’s political ties may be, union workers who’ve been injured at work still have adversaries to deal with.

• If a union member is injured on the job or becomes ill, he or she still needs to provide for their family.

Union Workers

• For a union member, the affects of a serious injury or illness may go deeper than financial problems.\

• An injury or illness may affect a union member’s medical care, substitute housing, transportation or financial aid for college tuition.Whether this setback keeps a person from working for days or ends his or hers career, that person should seek help from a work accident attorney.

Truck Drivers

• Truck drivers work long hours without sleep. At times, a trucker will drive for approximately 13 to 20 hour shifts without proper rest in order to meet a deadline.

• Lack of focus, sleep or strength can lead to fatal accidents, even if it’s not the driver’s fault.

Truck Drivers

• Unfortunately, accidents do happen and oftentimes cause injuries.

• Truck drivers who’ve been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence or carelessness from another driver should seek legal assistance from an Illinois truck accident lawyer.

Truck Drivers

• Following a truck accident, drivers may be permitted to a certain amount of reimbursement to help with medical bills and loss of work. Truck injury attorneys can help with problems related to:o Current and forthcoming medical expenseso Pain and sufferingo Disfiguremento Physical impairmento Hospital stayso Lost earnings

Truck Drivers

• Consulting an Illinois truck accident lawyer can help truckers get the compensation they’ll need to recover from their injuries and get back to work.

Factory Workers

• Much like other Illinois employers, factory companies implement safety guidelines at their factories/warehouses to ensure their workers are out of harm's way while on the job.

• However, most factories witness persistent and severe injuries every year, due to a lack of practice and maintenance of proper safety.

Factory Workers

• Countless factory workers experience the following injuries:

o Slip and Fallso Crushing Accidents o Electrocutiono Overuse Accidentso Exposure

Factory Workers

• Factory workers living near the windy city should always seek advice from a Chicago workers comp lawyer to make sure they’re appropriately compensated from a work-related injury.

Railroad Workers (FELA)

• All railroad workers are protected by the Federal Employee Liability Act (FELA).– This law provides safety for workers who’ve

been injured on the job.

• Although this law helps protect railroad workers, it doesn’t offer enough to meet the needs and compensations an injured railroad worker needs.

Railroad Workers

• The following are some examples of injuries and conditions experienced by even the toughest railroad workers:

o Ligament & soft tissue damage o Complicated breathing and poisoning

from industrial chemicals & solventso Tension-related injuries, such as back

straino Substantial medical expenses o Possible death

Railroad Workers (FELA)

• If flawed equipment or the negligence of fellow workers/foremen have caused an injury for a railroad worker, then he or she ought to call Chicago railroad injury lawyers for accurate legal assistance.

Construction Accidents

• Working construction is a dangerous job. All surrounding elements are potentially unsafe, whether it’s the tools a worker uses or the severe weather affecting a worksite.

• Therefore, all types of accidents and injuries are common for workers in this profession.

Construction Accidents

• With the help of a construction accident attorney, injured workers can do one of two things:– File for workers’ comp – lawyers file a

claim and work with your employer’s insurance company to receive suitable benefits/medical expenses.

– File for personal injury – if someone else is found liable for your injury, lawyers seek legal action against the person or entity responsible.

Worker’s Comp. Benefits

• Workers’ comp is a form of insurance that can offer monetary compensation when a worker gets injured.

• Other benefits include:o Medical Careo Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) Benefitso Permanent Total Disability (PTD) Benefitso Temporary Total Disability (TTD) Benefitso Settlemento Survivors Benefits

Is Workers’ Comp for You?

• The Illinois Worker’s Compensation law has a great deal of information, guidelines and instructions. As a result, dealing with this process can be difficult.

• Hiring an experienced worker’s compensation attorney serves as the most liable decision when it comes to taking care of yourself, family and future.

Want More Help?

• If you’ve been injured or ill as a direct result from working on the job, then you might be eligible for workers’ compensation.

• The personal injury lawyers at Malman Law can offer you the best legal assistance in the Chicagoland and Illinois area. For more information on workers’ comp and additional legal aid, visit www.malmanlaw.com

205 W. Randolph St., Suite 610

Chicago, IL 60606

Phone: 1-312-629-0099Fax: 1-312-629-1188

Email: info@malmanlaw.com

Call Now! 1-888-625-6265

Available 24/7 Serving Chicagoland & All of Illinois

www.MalmanLaw.com