Quick Answer 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….
By Matthew Jones, Illinois Workers’ Compensation Lawyer McHargue & Jones, LLC Updated April 2026 Quick answer: The insurance company’s IME doctor does not automatically win. An Illinois workers’ comp arbitrator can believe your treating doctor over the IME doctor, especially when the treating doctor’s opinion is better supported by your medical records, diagnostic tests, accident…
Case study quick answer: A packing-plant worker at an Illinois meat processing and packing facility was denied cervical spine surgery and TTD benefits after the insurance company relied on an IME. McHargue & Jones took the treating surgeon’s deposition, cross-examined the IME doctor, tried the case before the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, and won authorization…
By Matthew Jones, Illinois Workers’ Compensation Lawyer McHargue & Jones, LLC Updated April 2026 Quick answer: Probably not. Most Illinois workers’ comp cases do not end in a full trial. In my practice, roughly 95–98% of cases do not go all the way to trial. But many disputed cases still require a request for hearing,…
By Matthew Jones, Illinois Workers’ Compensation Lawyer McHargue & Jones, LLC Last reviewed: April 2026 Quick answer: In Illinois workers’ compensation, a “trial” usually means an arbitration hearing before an arbitrator at the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, or IWCC. There is no jury. The arbitrator reviews testimony, medical records, doctor depositions, IME reports, bills, wage…
By Matthew C. Jones Yes, you may be able to get a loan or cash advance on a workers’ compensation case in Illinois—but you need to be very careful. These loans can help keep you afloat when the insurance company cuts off your checks, denies surgery, or tries to starve you into a cheap settlement….
By Matthew C. Jones Usually, yes. Permanent work restrictions often increase the value of an Illinois workers’ compensation case because they can show lasting functional loss, reduced earning capacity, and an inability to return to the same work. But restrictions do not automatically make every case worth dramatically more. What matters is whether the restrictions…
By Matthew C. Jones If your doctor gives you temporary work restrictions and your employer says there is no light duty available, the first question is usually the right one: do I still get paid?In most Illinois workers’ compensation cases, the answer is yes. If you are still treating, cannot return to your regular job,…
By Workers’ Compensation Lawyer, Matthew C. Jones If you are released with permanent work restrictions after a job injury, the next question is usually simple: what happens now? In most Illinois workers’ compensation cases, discharge with permanent restrictions is the start of a new phase of the claim. We need to figure out whether your…
If you hurt your foot or ankle at work in Illinois, one of the first questions you probably have is: how much is my workers’ comp case worth? The honest answer is that foot injury settlements vary widely. A simple ankle sprain that heals with physical therapy is very different from an Achilles tear that…
By Matthew C. Jones, Chicago Workers’ Compensation Attorney This article explains recent Walmart workers’ compensation settlements in Illinois based on cases our office has handled. These examples are anonymized and shared only for educational purposes. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes. A lot of injured Walmart workers are intimidated…
A PTSD workers’ compensation case in Illinois can range from a relatively small percentage award to a large six-figure settlement, wage differential benefits, or permanent total disability, depending on how the condition affects your life and ability to work. Most cases fall somewhere between: 2% to 20% loss of the person as a whole (MAW)…
Not every work injury happens in a single moment. Some of the most serious shoulder injuries we see in Illinois workers’ compensation cases develop slowly — from doing the same overhead work over and over again, day after day, for years. These are repetitive trauma injuries, and they are especially common in warehouse, logistics, and…
By Matthew C. Jones, Illinois Workers’ Compensation Attorney Wrist fractures — especially distal radius fractures — are common Illinois workers’ compensation injuries, usually caused by a slip and fall or trip and fall onto an outstretched hand. But there is no fixed settlement amount. The value of a broken wrist workers’ comp case in Illinois…
A total knee replacement (TKR) is one of the most serious and highest-value injuries in Illinois workers’ compensation cases—but settlement amounts vary widely depending on the worker, the outcome, and long-term work limitations. If you are asking: 👉 How much is a knee replacement worth in Illinois workers’ compensation? Here is the short answer: Most…
