Spanish-Speaking Workers’ Comp Lawyer in Chicago: What to Expect

By Workers’ Compensation Attorney Matthew C. Jones

If you were injured at work in Chicago or the surrounding suburbs, you can discuss your workers’ compensation case with us in Spanish. I am attorney Matthew C. Jones, and I speak Spanish. Our administrative team also includes Spanish speakers. At McHargue & Jones, LLC, our firm has proudly represented Spanish-speaking Chicagoland workers for more than 25 years.

That means you can explain your accident, ask about your medical treatment and disability checks, and discuss a settlement in the language you are most comfortable speaking. We also help address language needs at medical appointments, insurance examinations, and trial.

Can I speak directly with an attorney in Spanish?

Yes. I speak Spanish and work directly with Spanish-speaking clients. Our Spanish-speaking administrative staff can help with calls, documents, appointment questions, and updates. Tell us when you contact the office that you prefer Spanish.

A work injury can leave you with questions that are hard enough without a language barrier. Why did the doctor send you back to work? Why is the insurance company refusing surgery? Where is your check? What does the settlement offer actually cover?

We want you to be able to ask those questions and understand the answers. You do not need to bring a family member to translate your consultation with me.

More than 25 years representing Spanish-speaking Chicagoland workers

Our firm has represented Spanish-speaking workers throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs for more than 25 years. That includes people injured in construction, landscaping, warehouses, factories, restaurants, cleaning, delivery, and other jobs.

The details of those jobs matter. A lifting restriction may prevent a warehouse employee from handling packages. A shoulder injury may prevent a construction worker from using tools overhead. A back injury may make it impossible to stand through a full shift.

We need to understand what your work actually requires, what happened to you, and what the doctors say you can safely do. Being able to discuss those details in Spanish helps us prepare the case accurately.

Help in Spanish from your first call through a hearing

• First consultation: explain the accident, your treatment, and the problem you need help with.
• Communication with our office: ask questions and receive explanations in Spanish from me and our Spanish-speaking staff.
• Medical appointments: we help coordinate with offices that generally have Spanish-speaking staff or language assistance.
• Insurance medical examinations: we address interpreter arrangements before an IME when Spanish interpretation is needed.
• Trial: our firm arranges and pays for a Spanish interpreter for clients we represent who need one.
• Settlement decisions: we explain the offer and its consequences so you can make an informed decision.

Can I get medical care if I do not speak English?

The doctors’ offices we regularly work with generally have Spanish-speaking staff or arrangements for interpretation. Tell us before your appointment if you need assistance in Spanish so we can help coordinate it.

Clear communication at the doctor’s office is important. The records should accurately describe how the accident happened, every injured body part, your symptoms, and the physical demands of your job. You also need to understand the treatment plan and your work restrictions.

If you cannot understand the doctor or feel your symptoms were misunderstood, tell us promptly. We can address the communication problem and discuss whether the medical history or work-status note needs clarification.

Who pays for a Spanish interpreter at a workers’ comp trial?

For clients we represent who need a Spanish interpreter at trial, our firm arranges and pays for the interpreter. I also help prepare you in Spanish so you understand the hearing process and the questions your testimony needs to address.

Even though I speak Spanish, formal interpretation serves an important purpose: the arbitrator and the record need an accurate account of the questions and your answers. You can testify in Spanish and explain what happened in your own words.

Read our Illinois workers’ comp hearing and trial guide for more about testimony, medical evidence, and contested hearings.

Who provides an interpreter for the insurance company’s IME?

If the insurance company sends you to an independent medical examination, or IME, and you need a Spanish interpreter, tell us when you receive the appointment notice. The insurance company ordinarily arranges and pays for the interpreter for its examination. We confirm those arrangements and address problems before the appointment.

The examiner needs to understand your symptoms, treatment, accident history, and actual job duties. If you do not understand a question, ask for it to be interpreted or clarified rather than guessing at the answer.

Does my immigration status prevent me from pursuing workers’ comp?

Lack of a work permit or lawful immigration status does not automatically prevent an injured worker from bringing an Illinois workers’ compensation claim. Do not assume you have no rights because an employer tells you that you cannot file a case.

Speaking Spanish does not tell us anything about a person’s immigration status. We help Spanish-speaking workers with different backgrounds and circumstances. If work authorization is a concern in your case, we can discuss that concern with you directly.

Read our guide to Illinois workers’ comp without a work permit. If your injury leaves lasting restrictions, our separate article explains permanent restrictions and settlement options for workers without work authorization.

Trial results for Spanish-speaking injured workers

Our Spanish-language service includes preparing disputed claims for hearing. These examples show the kinds of medical and benefits issues our Spanish-speaking clients have faced.

These are individual case results with different facts and procedural histories. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Serving Chicago, Cook County, and the surrounding suburbs

We represent injured workers throughout Chicagoland, including Chicago, Cicero, Berwyn, Melrose Park, Elgin, Aurora, Waukegan, and Joliet. You can speak with us in Spanish about an injury at a large warehouse, a small construction company, a restaurant, a cleaning business, or another workplace.

For the first conversation, it helps to have your employer’s name, the accident date, any claim information, and your latest work-status note. If you do not have every document, contact us and explain what happened.

About the attorney

I am Matthew C. Jones, a partner at McHargue & Jones and an Illinois workers’ compensation attorney. My professional background includes service on Arise Chicago’s Legal Advisory Board. My attorney biography describes my Spanish-language practice, professional service, and selected trial results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Matthew Jones speak Spanish?

Yes. Workers’ compensation attorney Matthew C. Jones speaks Spanish and works directly with Spanish-speaking injured workers in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.

Does your office have Spanish-speaking staff?

Yes. McHargue & Jones has Spanish-speaking administrative staff who can help with calls, documents, appointment questions, and case updates.

Do I need a relative to translate my consultation?

No. You do not need to bring a relative to translate your consultation with Matthew Jones. Tell the office that you prefer to speak Spanish.

Can I testify in Spanish at my workers’ comp trial?

Yes. For clients we represent who need a Spanish interpreter at trial, our firm arranges and pays for the interpreter.

Who pays for a Spanish interpreter at the insurance company’s IME?

The insurance company ordinarily arranges and pays for an interpreter for the examination it requests. Tell our office when you receive the notice so we can confirm the arrangements.

Can I pursue workers’ comp if I do not have a work permit?

Lack of work authorization does not automatically prevent an Illinois workers’ compensation claim. Permanent restrictions and future-employment issues require individual review.