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Can Undocumented Workers Get Workers’ Compensation in Illinois?
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…
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Illinois Workers’ Comp Guide for Landscaping and Tree Service Injuries
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…
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Understanding Illinois Dog Bite Law: Strict Liability, the One-Bite Rule, and Insurance Coverage
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…
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Can You Record an IME in an Illinois Workers’ Compensation Case?
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…
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How Much Is a Slip and Fall Case Worth in Illinois?
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…
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Can Workers’ Comp See My Medical Records in Illinois?
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…
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Trial Win vs. Procter & Gamble: Workers’ Comp Judge Orders Knee Surgery After Automated Warehouse Injury
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…
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Should I Give a Recorded Statement to the Workers’ Comp Insurance Company in Illinois?
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…
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Do I Have to Talk to the Workers’ Comp Nurse Case Manager in Illinois?
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,…
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What To Do After a Slip and Fall Accident in Illinois
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…
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What To Do After a Truck Accident in Illinois
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…
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Illinois Workers’ Comp Amputation Claims: Scheduled Loss Payments, Prosthetics, PTSD, and Job Restrictions
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…
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Illinois Workers’ Comp Impairment Ratings: Do They Decide Settlement Value?
By Matthew C. Jones, Illinois Workers’ Compensation Attorney If an insurance adjuster tells you that your Illinois workers’ compensation case is only worth a small percentage because of an “impairment rating,” be careful. An impairment rating is not the same thing as permanent partial disability, it is not the same thing as the percentage loss…
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What If My Workers’ Comp Doctor Sends Me Back to Work But I’m Still Hurt?
If your workers’ comp doctor sends you back to work but you are still in pain, the right answer depends on which doctor released you, whether the note says full duty or light duty, and whether you can safely perform your actual job. Do not just disappear or stop showing up without communicating. Get the…