Chicago Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

You have options if you were injured on the job in Chicago, IL. Most injured employees in Chicago are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Getting the full amount you deserve after a workplace injury is often challenging. An experienced Chicago workers’ compensation lawyer can help you stand up to the insurance companies and recover the maximum compensation available.

At Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, we have decades of combined experience helping clients like you win fair compensation. We’ve recovered over $100 million in settlements and verdicts for our efforts.

We’re ready to start protecting your legal rights today. Contact our law firm at (312) 726-1616 for a free consultation today to learn more about your rights under state personal injury and workers’ compensation laws.

How Can Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys Help With My Chicago Workers’ Compensation Claim?

How Can Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys Help With My Chicago Workers’ Compensation Claim?

It’s easy to say that all injured workers have a right to workers’ compensation. However, recovering full compensation can be anything but easy. At Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, we have the skills and resources to help you recover every dollar.

When you hire our Chicago personal injury attorneys, we’ll manage your case from start to finish by:

  • Handling all of the paperwork
  • Gathering any evidence to prove your case
  • Calculating your case value
  • Determining the types of benefits you should be receiving
  • Defending against allegations that your injuries aren’t work-related
  • Working with leading experts who can testify on your behalf
  • Negotiating with the workers’ compensation insurance company for a full settlement
  • Representing you at court and in any hearings

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers have been recognized by lawyer rating companies for our services, including Super Lawyers and the Million-Dollar Advocates Forum. You can count on us to do everything possible to get the maximum compensation you deserve. All you have to do is call our law offices in Chicago, Illinois, today to learn more.

Private industry employers reported 112,500 work-related injuries and illnesses in 2022. Of that total, 73,500 were serious enough to require time off work, job transfers, or restrictions. Unfortunately, 177 Illinois workers suffered fatal workplace injuries during 2022.

What Is Workers’ Compensation in Illinois?

The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act requires almost all employers in Illinois to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ comp insurance pays benefits to employees who are injured on the job.

You’re generally entitled to benefits if:

  • You were hired or injured in the State of Illinois
  • Your injury arose out of and in the course of employment

Employers who don’t purchase workers’ compensation are subject to penalties and possible criminal liability if they knowingly fail to provide coverage.

What Types of Benefits Does Workers’ Compensation in Chicago Provide to Work Injury Victims?

Workers’ compensation in Illinois provides economic benefits to help offset the financial costs associated with your injury. Medical costs and lost wages are the two primary types of benefits.

Medical Benefits

All medical expenses reasonably required to treat the injury or illness are covered by workers’ comp, including:

  • First aid
  • Emergency care
  • Hospitalization 
  • Doctor’s visits
  • Surgery
  • Physical therapy and chiropractic care
  • Pharmaceuticals and prosthetics

If your employer established a preferred provider program, you must visit a medical provider within their network of approved providers or risk being charged for medical care. If they did not, you are limited to visiting two medical providers of your choice. The two-provider limit doesn’t include referrals or emergency care.

Wage Replacement Benefits 

You’re also entitled to wage replacement benefits if the injury or illness prevents you from working for at least three days.

The nature of those benefits will depend on the extent of your disability, and may include:

  • Temporary total disability (TTD) to provide income if you’re totally unable to work during recovery
  • Temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits if you’re performing “light duty” work during recovery, but earning less than you did prior to the disability
  • Permanent total disability (PTD) if you suffer a permanent disability that completely prevents you from working or if you completely lose the use of two body parts (i.e., both legs, vision in both eyes, an arm and a leg)
  • Permanent partial disability (PPD) if your injuries are permanent and you can earn some income, but less than the amount you earned prior to the disability 
  • Vocational rehabilitation benefits to train you for a new line of work
  • Death benefits for surviving family members after a fatal workplace injury

TTD benefits are the most common type of wage replacement benefit. However, your employer doesn’t automatically have to approve your benefits. Employers often challenge injured workers’ right to benefits or the types of benefits they’re entitled to receive.

What Is My Chicago Workers’ Compensation Case Worth?

The value of your workers’ compensation benefit depends on:

  • The cost of your medical treatment and rehabilitation
  • Whether you are eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit for additional damages
  • Your average weekly wage prior to the disability (workers’ comp covers about two-thirds of your lost wages)
  • The nature of your disability 
  • Whether you can perform any work during recovery
  • Whether you can return to work after reaching maximum medical improvement (MMI)
  • Whether you can earn the same amount after reaching MMI

Workers’ compensation income replacement benefits are capped under state law. In the first half of 2024, that cap is $1,897.92 per week (different caps may apply depending on the nature of your disability). The amount is adjusted every six months.

Can I Recover Damages in Addition to Workers’ Compensation Benefits if I Was Injured on the Job in Chicago?

The nature of the at-fault party and your accident can also impact your case value. While you generally can’t file a lawsuit against your employer, you can sue third parties who are responsible for your injuries.

In these cases, you can recover additional damages, including:

To recover these types of damages, you must prove that the third party caused your injuries.

For example, you may have a valid lawsuit if:

  • A negligent driver injured you in a car crash
  • You were injured due to a third-party property owner’s negligent property maintenance
  • A manufacturing company sold your employer a defective work tool

Workers’ compensation is extremely valuable, but it doesn’t cover everything. Our Chicago workers’ compensation attorneys will also evaluate your rights under personal injury laws when we’re building your case.

How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Chicago?

Most personal injury law firms in Chicago work on a contingency fee basis. When you hire us, you agree to pay a percentage of your compensation instead of a flat fee or hourly rate.

You can hire our attorneys without paying anything upfront under this framework. And, from there, you only pay us attorney’s fees if we successfully handle your case.

Will Illinois Shared Fault Laws Impact My Right to Workers’ Compensation Benefits?

Workers’ compensation provides benefits regardless of fault. You don’t have to prove that someone else caused your injuries to receive benefits (with only rare exceptions, such as if you intentionally caused your accident).

Illinois’ modified comparative negligence law can impact your rights under personal injury laws. If your share of fault is at least 51%, you lose your right to recover compensation. Our attorneys can work to minimize the level of fault you are assessed.

Common Workplace Injuries and Illnesses

Some common examples of work-related injuries include:

Our attorneys also handle wrongful death cases if you lost a loved one in a fatal workplace accident.

We Handle All Types of Workplace Injury Claims in Chicago

At Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, we handle all types of workplace disability cases, including:

  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Dangerous property conditions
  • Construction site accidents
  • Scaffolding accidents and falls
  • Slip and fall accidents
  • Negligent security and workplace violence
  • Missing safety protection
  • Fires or explosions
  • Electrocution
  • Exposure to toxic substances
  • Repetitive stress injuries
  • Accidents involving heavy machinery
  • Falling objects
  • Being caught between two objects
  • Kitchen accidents
  • Defective or dangerous work equipment 

While some industries are more dangerous than others, workers’ compensation applies equally to all employees. Whether you were injured on a dangerous construction site, at a restaurant, or while working downtown in an office, our lawyers in Chicago are ready to help you fight for full benefits. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to learn more.

You must tell your employer about your workplace injury or illness within 45 days of an accident or diagnosis. Waiting longer jeopardizes your right to workers’ compensation.

If you have a personal injury case, the statute of limitations in Illinois is two years. Again, if you wait any longer, you lose your right to damages. Contact us as soon as you can for help, as there are exceptions that could change the time limit for your case.

Contact a Chicago Workers’ Compensation Lawyer for a Free Consultation Today

Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys offers free consultations so you can learn about your legal options without risk. If you’re curious about your benefits and legal options, call today to schedule a free consultation with a Chicago workers’ compensation lawyer.