By Matthew C. Jones, Illinois Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Updated and legally reviewed August 13, 2026 Quick answer: Illinois workers’ compensation usually pays 66â…”% of your average weekly wage when you qualify for temporary total disability, commonly called TTD. For accident dates from July 15, 2026 through January 14, 2027, the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission lists…
Being offered a workers’ compensation settlement can feel like the light at the end of a long tunnel. After weeks or months of doctor visits, paperwork, and uncertainty, the idea of finally getting a check is tempting. But before you sign, pause. Insurance companies often make low initial offers hoping you’ll accept less than you…
Quick answer: Illinois workers’ compensation benefits may include payment of medical bills, weekly disability checks (TTD/TPD), permanent partial disability (PPD) settlements, wage differential benefits, vocational rehabilitation, and lifetime permanent total disability (PTD) benefits. The amount depends mainly on your average weekly wage (AWW) and work restrictions. Understanding Illinois Workers’ Compensation Benefits If you’ve been injured…
Traveling Employees and Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Illinois If your job requires you to travel — whether to client sites, job locations, or business meetings — you may still be entitled to Illinois workers’ compensation benefits if you’re injured while traveling. These are known as traveling employee cases, and Illinois provides specific protections for workers…
By Workers’ Compensation Attorney, Matthew C. Jones Worried about how your FCE or permanent work restrictions will affect your Illinois workers’ compensation settlement? In reality, these findings often increase your settlement—if they’re interpreted correctly. Learn how FCE results, permanent restrictions, and medical documentation impact your Illinois workers’ comp payout, what insurance companies do to challenge…
Suffering a workplace injury can disrupt every part of your life. Medical bills, missed paychecks, insurance paperwork, and pressure from your employer can all add stress when you should be focused on healing. While Illinois workers’ compensation benefits are meant to help injured workers, the process is often far more difficult than people expect. That’s…
Updated April 2026 You did the right thing by reporting your work injury and filing for workers’ compensation — but now your claim has been denied, disputed, or your employer refuses to file it at all. You’re hurt, bills are piling up, and you’re wondering: “Can they really do this? What do I do now?”…
Repetitive strain injuries — also known as repetitive trauma, cumulative trauma, repetitive motion injuries, or repetitive stress injuries — are some of the most misunderstood claims in Illinois workers’ compensation. These injuries develop gradually, not from one accident. Workers who type all day… grip tools… use vibrating equipment… rotate through repetitive assembly tasks… or clean,…
Every holiday season, Chicago and the surrounding Chicagoland suburbs experience a sharp increase in commercial truck and delivery vehicle traffic, driven largely by peak demand from Amazon, UPS, FedEx, and other logistics companies. As delivery volumes surge, delivery drivers, truck drivers, and warehouse workers face longer shifts, tighter deadlines, winter weather, and heavier congestion on…
My short answer: you should almost always try to use workers’ compensation insurance, not your own health insurance, for a work injury. Here’s why. 1. No co-pays, no deductibles, no out-of-pocket bills Under workers’ comp, there are no co-pays or deductibles for approved treatment. When your claim is accepted and the bills are handled correctly,…
What does the insurance adjuster mean “it’s under investigation”? You hurt yourself at work and you opened a claim with the insurance company. They should be paying your benefits, right? But the adjuster is telling you that they are investigating and don’t want to pay. What does that mean, and what can you do next?…
Repetitive stress injuries happen quietly. You don’t fall, slip, or get crushed by machinery — instead, your body breaks down from lifting, bending, typing, kneeling, scanning, pulling, twisting, or standing for years. Many Illinois workers aren’t sure whether these injuries qualify as workers’ comp claims. The answer is: often, yes — but the insurance company…
Can You Choose Your Own Workers’ Comp Doctor in Illinois? Updated 2026 Illinois Workers’ Compensation Guide Quick Answer Yes. In most Illinois workers’ compensation cases, you can choose your own doctor for treatment after a work injury. Your employer or the insurance company may send you to a company clinic, such as Concentra, but that…
The holiday season is the busiest time of year for many industries, including retail, warehousing, delivery, and manufacturing. As workloads increase and winter conditions create additional hazards, workers face a higher risk of injury on the job. Importantly, seasonal and holiday employees have the same rights to workers’ compensation benefits as full-time employees under the…
Construction work is consistently ranked among the most dangerous occupations in the United States, and Chicago construction workers face serious risks every day on job sites throughout the city and surrounding suburbs. Each year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that construction accidents remain among the most frequent and severe workplace injuries nationwide….
