Workers’ Comp in Illinois

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health,1 more than 154,000 people suffered injuries or illnesses related to their jobs in a single year in Illinois. Job-related injuries and illnesses can result in the need for extensive medical treatment and time off work during recovery, both of which can cause serious financial problems for the victim and their household. To protect injured or ill workers, our state requires employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance and these regulations are enforced by the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC).2

Who is Covered by Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

In order to be eligible for workers’ comp benefits, you must be an employee of your company. Independent contractors are not covered by workers’ compensation laws and will not qualify for benefits if they are injured performing a job. Next, you must have sustained an injury or illness that is directly related to or that resulted from your job. This can include a workplace accident, repetitive stress injuries, and illnesses from working conditions.

What Benefits are Available?

If you qualify for workers’ compensation, you can receive some or all of the following benefits, depending on the nature and severity of your injuries:

Costs of medical care - Workers’ comp should cover all of the costs of your medical treatment, including emergency care, doctor visits, medications, surgeries, and more.

Wage replacement - If you have to miss work because of your injury, you can receive benefits to replace the income you lose due to time away from work. While you will not receive the full amount income you lost, partial wage replacement can help a lot in this time.

Disability payments - If you are left with a disability due to your work-related injury, you can receive ongoing payments or a lump sum settlement to compensate you for long-term losses.

Call an Experienced Southern Illinois Workers’ Comp Attorney to Discuss your Case

The workers’ compensation system can be confusing and claims are not always straightforward. If you are around Marion or Carbondale and have questions or concerns about your benefits, please call the Illinois workers’ comp attorneys at Lawler Brown Law Firm at 618-993-2222 today.

1http://www.idph.state.il.us/about/epi/pdf/ERS_15-01_OSH_2012.pdf

2http://www.iwcc.il.gov/