By Matthew C. Jones, Chicago workers’ compensation attorney at McHargue & Jones. Case result summary: We represented a tree cutter who fell from a tree after a harness failure and shattered both ankles. The employer initially tried to avoid reporting the accident, disputed whether the worker was an employee, and fought the wage calculation because…
By Matthew C. Jones, Chicago workers’ compensation attorney at McHargue & Jones. Quick answer: Yes. You can still have an Illinois workers’ compensation case even if you were paid cash, paid under the table, paid without regular pay stubs, or paid in a way your employer did not properly report. Cash pay can make the…
Quick answer: Yes. A worker can still have an Illinois workers’ compensation claim even if the worker does not have a valid work permit or is undocumented. Employers sometimes try to scare injured workers by saying they do not qualify, cannot file a claim, will get in immigration trouble, or should stay quiet. Do not…
By Matthew C. Jones, Chicago workers’ compensation attorney at McHargue & Jones. Quick answer: Yes, landscapers, lawn care workers, tree cutters, groundskeepers, snow removal workers, and tree service employees are generally covered by Illinois workers’ compensation if they are hurt while working. That can include medical treatment, TTD checks, TPD benefits, maintenance, vocational rehabilitation, permanent…
Illinois Dog Bite Lawyer Guide In Illinois, a dog owner often cannot avoid responsibility by saying the dog had never bitten anyone before. Under the Illinois Animal Control Act, an owner may be liable when a dog or other animal, without provocation, attacks, attempts to attack, or injures someone who is peaceably and lawfully where…
By Matthew C. Jones, Chicago workers’ compensation attorney at McHargue & Jones. Quick answer: In many Illinois workers’ compensation cases, you may be able to record an IME if it is done properly, with notice, and without interfering with the examination. You should not secretly record the IME doctor. You also should not assume that…
If you were hurt in a slip and fall accident in Illinois, one of the first questions you probably have is simple: how much is my case worth? The honest answer is that there is no automatic settlement amount. A slip and fall case can be worth very little, tens of thousands of dollars, hundreds…
Quick answer: In an Illinois workers’ compensation case, the insurance company can usually get medical records that are relevant to your work injury. That may include records about the injured body part, prior treatment, diagnostic tests, surgeries, prescriptions, restrictions, and conditions that could relate to the claim. But that does not mean the insurance company…
Quick answer: McHargue & Jones won a Section 19(b) Illinois workers’ compensation trial against Procter & Gamble, Greater Chicago Fulfillment Center, after workers’ comp refused to approve arthroscopic right knee surgery for a warehouse automation technician. The arbitrator found that the worker’s right knee condition was causally related to the work accident and ordered Procter…
By Workers’ Compensation Attorney, Matthew C. Jones Quick answer: In most Illinois workers’ compensation cases, you are not required by law to give a recorded statement to the workers’ comp insurance adjuster. You should usually politely decline until you speak with a lawyer. That does not mean you should hide the injury, fail to report…
By Workers’ Compensation Lawyer, Matthew C. Jones Quick answer: In most Illinois workers’ compensation cases, you do not have to talk to a workers’ comp nurse case manager, let the nurse come into your doctor appointment, or let the nurse speak privately with your doctor. A nurse case manager can sometimes help coordinate medical care,…
If you slipped and fell at a store, apartment building, restaurant, parking lot, sidewalk, workplace, or other property in Illinois, what you do next can affect both your health and your injury claim. Slip and fall cases are often won or lost based on evidence. The dangerous condition may be cleaned up. Surveillance video may…
If you were hit by a semi-truck, box truck, delivery truck, dump truck, or other commercial vehicle in Illinois, the first steps you take can affect your health, your evidence, and the value of your case. Truck accidents are different from ordinary car accident cases. The injuries are often more serious, the insurance policies are…
A workplace amputation is not just another workers’ compensation claim. In Illinois, the law provides specific statutory benefits for the loss of a finger, hand, arm, toe, foot, leg, eye, or other scheduled body part. But the scheduled-loss payment is often only one part of the case. A serious amputation claim may also involve emergency…
