Have you been injured while working in Rockford, Illinois? Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys is ready to help. We offer a free consultation with an experienced Rockford workers’ compensation lawyer who can explain your rights and fight for the benefits you deserve.
You may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits through your employer, but securing the full amount can be challenging without skilled legal representation. Our team helps injured workers and their families pursue the monetary justice they need after serious workplace accidents.
Contact us today at (815) 662-0330 to get started—your initial case evaluation is free.
Why You’ll Want Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys To Help With Your Claim for Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Securing full workers’ compensation benefits is rarely straightforward, but an experienced Rockford personal injury attorney can level the playing field. At Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, we are proud of our proven track record and commitment to achieving the best possible results for our clients in Rockford, Illinois.
Our achievements include:
- Decades of combined legal experience representing injured clients
- More than $100 million recovered in verdicts and settlements
- Recognition by Super Lawyers for professional excellence
- Inclusion in Best Lawyers for outstanding legal service
- Inclusion in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
Our firm has the resources to take on major corporations and the dedication to fight tirelessly for those we represent. We’ve helped clients secure millions in life-changing benefits and awards and are ready to help you, too. Call us today for a free consultation about your workers’ compensation claim.
What is Workers’ Compensation?
Workers’ compensation is a private insurance system designed to help certain workers receive economic benefits after they suffer injuries in the course of their employment. In Illinois, most employers are legally required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. It’s estimated that 91 percent of the state’s workforce is covered by a workers’ compensation policy.
The benefits can be an important lifeline for workers who require extensive medical treatment and are forced to miss time at work while they recover from their work-related injuries. However, it is important to note that the workers’ compensation system provides these benefits in exchange for giving up the right to sue an employer for negligence.
How Do I Know if I Qualify for Workers’ Compensation After a Workplace Accident in Rockford, IL?
Not everyone will qualify for workers’ compensation benefits after they’ve suffered a work-related injury or illness. In Illinois, workers’ compensation benefits can only be paid if all of the following requirements are satisfied:
- You work for an employer that’s legally required to have a workers’ compensation insurance policy
- You are an employee (not an independent contractor), and
- Your injuries were sustained in the course of your employment.
If all three conditions apply to your situation, you may have the right to pursue workers’ compensation benefits for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other related costs.
What Does “In the Course of Your Employment” Mean?
“In the course of your employment” means that you got hurt performing tasks assigned to you or expected of you by your employer. You do not necessarily have to be injured on your employer’s premises to qualify for benefits.
For instance, many workers in Illinois are required to drive to complete aspects of their job. If you’re injured in a car accident or truck accident while you’re on the clock, you can potentially qualify for workers’ compensation benefits.
On the other hand, benefits are typically unavailable if your injuries are sustained in an accident unrelated to the scope of your employment. Traffic accidents or slips and falls on your lunch break, for instance, probably won’t qualify.
What Types of Benefits Does Workers’ Compensation Include?
Illinois workers’ compensation policies cover two major economic losses: medical expenses and income.
Medical Expenses
Your employer’s insurance company will cover costs for reasonable and necessary medical care, which might include:
- Emergency room treatment
- Hospitalization
- Diagnostic testing
- Bloodwork
- Surgery
- Medication
- Rehabilitation
- Dental care
- Chiropractic care
- Specialist consultations
There is one major limitation – your medical bills are only covered if you seek treatment from a healthcare provider that’s been approved by the insurance carrier. As a result, it can inhibit your ability to choose your own doctor and influence your prescribed course of treatment.
Temporary Total Disability
Temporary Total Disability (TTD) benefits can be awarded when your work-related injury or illness prevents you from working for more than 3 days. TTD is designed to replace your lost wages while you are unable to work.
Benefits can pay up to two-thirds of your average weekly wage, but cannot exceed $1,481.05 as of 07/15/2025. You can receive TTD benefits until you achieve Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI), as determined by your healthcare provider.
Temporary Partial Disability
If you can work, but only in a limited capacity, you may qualify for Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) benefits. TPD benefits are designed to bridge the gap between what you earned before you got hurt and your current income. Benefits can equal up to two-thirds of that difference.
Permanent Partial Disability
TTD benefits won’t be available once you achieve Maximum Medical Improvement. What if you’re still physically impaired in some way? If your healthcare provider assigns you an impairment rating, you may qualify for Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) benefits.
PPD benefits – both amount and duration – are based on:
- Your impairment rating
- Scheduled vs. unscheduled injuries
- Your average weekly wage
The more severe your permanent disability, the more you can expect to receive in PPD benefits, and the longer you can expect your benefits to be paid.
Permanent Total Disability
If your workplace injury is so severe that you can’t work in any capacity, you may qualify for Permanent Total Disability (PTD) benefits. PTD is essentially an extension of the temporary income benefits you received immediately after you got hurt.
Death Benefits
If a work-related injury or illness in Rockford is fatal, a worker’s surviving spouse or children might qualify for workers’ compensation death benefits. Death benefits can include money for the worker’s funeral and lost financial support.
Can Shared Fault Affect My Workers’ Compensation Settlement?
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system. Your claim for benefits will not be reduced if you share responsibility for your workplace accident or injury.
However, the state’s modified comparative negligence rule will apply if you file a related personal injury lawsuit. While you can’t sue your employer, you can seek additional damages – especially compensation for non-economic losses – from a responsible third party.
In that related legal action, your shared fault will be a factor. Damages will be reduced proportionately to fault up to 50 percent. If you’re assigned 51% or more of the blame for your injuries, you will not be permitted to demand compensation from other at-fault parties.
How Much Will It Cost To Hire a Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Rockford?
You won’t pay a thing out of pocket to hire our experienced Illinois workers’ compensation lawyers in Rockford. We represent workers’ compensation claims on a contingency fee basis. We only get paid when we obtain benefits for you. Our attorney fees come directly out of that monetary award. While every case is different, most attorneys will receive about 20 percent of your claim’s value.
Asking for help increases the chances of winning your case and getting full compensation. Don’t hesitate to call Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys to learn more.
Is There a Limited Time To File for Workers’ Compensation After I Get Hurt on the Job in Illinois?
Yes. However, before you file for workers’ compensation benefits, you have to let your employer know that you’ve been injured. You have up to 45 days from the date you were injured or diagnosed with an occupational disease to notify your employer verbally or in writing.
As long as notice has been provided, you’ll have three years from the date you were injured on the job to file for workers’ compensation benefits. You cannot let the statute of limitations expire without asserting your rights. Once time is up, you’ll lose the ability to recover no-fault benefits through your employer.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Rockford Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Call Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys if you’ve been hurt while working in Rockford, IL. There’s a good chance you’ll qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, but your employer’s insurance company won’t hesitate to find a way to deny your claim or pay you less than you deserve.
Trusting our Rockford workers’ compensation lawyers can be the difference between a nominal benefits package and the top-tier case results you deserve. We’ve helped our clients win over $100 million in damages. Now, we’re ready to invest decades of experience into your workers’ compensation claim, too.
There’s no charge for an initial case evaluation, so contact our Rockford law office to get started today.
