Will County Workers' Comp Information and Help

Document Repetitive Trauma Injuries in Will County Worker's Comp Cases

2010-06-03T15:07:00.000-05:00

Repetitive trauma injuries like carpal tunnel or herniated back discs are compensable injuries under Illinois Workers Compensation law. However, be sure that you give notice of the injury upon its first sign. Unlike a specific accident such as feeling an immediate pop in your back when performing work, repetitive trauma injuries usually don't have a specific start date. In repetitive trauma, many people notice some pain and try to work through it. Make sure to document the first onset of injury, if possible. This will make your workers compensation claim more definitive. This is so as Illinois workers' compensation law states that the accident date for repetitive trauma injuries is the date you knew or reasonably should have known that you had the injury and it was related to your job duties. Call Hamilton & Antonsen, Ltd. in Joliet, IL at 815.729.9220 for more information regarding your Illinois workers comp case.

Talk to your doctor when in the middle of a Will County worker's compensation case

2010-06-03T15:03:00.000-05:00

If you believe that your job may have played a role in contributing to your injury, be forthright with your doctor about the nature of your injury and ALSO, what your job duties involve . Doctors are there to treat your injury, not to find out how it happened. Doctors do not comment about whether or not an injury is work related unless you tell them. When speaking to your doctor, be descriptive about your injury and about your job duties. The more descriptive you are the better the chance that the doctor will understand and document the nature of your injury and its relation to your job duties. Then, when your Will County workers compensation case moves forward, you will have a doctor who has documented the relationship between the injury and your job. Hamilton & Antonsen, Ltd. in Joliet, IL are excellent workers' compensation lawyers who can help you achieve maximum compensation for your work injury.

What Does Partial Permanent Disability Mean??

2010-04-26T15:45:00.000-05:00

When your Illinois Workers Compensation claim is in the final stages, you may hear that your attorney is negotiating a settlement for your Partial Permanent Disability or PPD. It is important for clients to know what this means. Under Illinois Workers' Compensation law you are entitled to be compensated for the extent that your injury has caused a partial permanent disability. This compensation is obtained via settlement or an arbitration award once your medical treatment is completed. Partial permanent disability is a lasting disability caused from your work injury or illness which affects your ability to earn a living. Always remember that you are entitled to compensation for partial permanent disability benefits even if you are able to go back to work.

When your doctor has found that you have reached maximum medical Improvement, that doctor determines what your permanent physical restrictions will be. These permanent restrictions are based on the nature of your injury and the extent of your recovery. Additionally, the restrictions may be based on objective testing such as MRIs and operative reports. In negotiating settlement, permanent restrictions are compared with the restrictions of similarly situated injured workers with similar recoveries. These comparisons are assessed based on prior arbitration decisions. Your Joliet or Will County workers' compensation attorney will be in the best position to get an accurate assessment of the partial permanent disability in your case. You can contact a great workers’ comp lawyer in Joliet by calling Hamilton & Antonsen located on Jefferson Street in Joliet, IL at (815)729-9220.

What If I Was Laid Off Can I still File Workers' Comp Claim?

2010-04-22T16:44:00.000-05:00

If you were injured on the job in Will County, IL and then subsequently laid-off, you probably still have a viable workers compensation claim. The Illinois Workers' Compensation Act allows an injured worker in Joliet or Will County to file for benefits for up to three years after their work-related accident. If you were laid-off or even if your employer has gone out of business, you may still have a claim for workers compensation benefits so long as the injury happened on the job and you file within three years. Do not, however, wait to begin your claim. To achieve maximum results, your claim should begin immediately. Any waiting will result in wasted time, documents lost, and your claim becoming under-valued. It is important to hire a local Will County or Joliet workers' comp lawyer. Hamilton & Antonsen are experienced and polished workers comp lawyers in Will County who can help win you maximum recovery. (815)729-9220.

What Are My Rights When Injured While Working in Will County, IL?

2010-04-12T16:21:00.000-05:00

Most Joliet workers who are injured in Will County are not aware of their rights. A good Joliet or Will County workers' compensation lawyer can help, but read below first so you understand what you are entitled to. If you suffer a work-related injury you are entitled to:

1. Temporary Disability Payments: While off work due to an accident, your employer is obligated to pay you 67% of your weekly pay.

2. Your choice of Doctors: . You may see 2 doctors of your choice and your employer must pay all reasonable and necessary medical expenses of these doctors. If these two doctors of your choice refer you to other doctors, your employer must pay the bills from these doctors too.

3. Permanent disability benefit:. You are entitled to permanent disability benefits This represents a settlement for your permanent injuries. This permanent disability settlement is based on a formula taking into consideration the worker's wages and body part(s) affected. It is vital to wait until your medical treatment has ceased and you are medically released by your doctor before accepting a settlement. If you settle too soon, you may not be settling for your "full" injury.

4. Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits: If you cannot return to you former job because of limitations caused by your work injury, you are entitled to assistance in finding subsequent employment. Vocational rehabilitation returns you to the employment market. Methods of this rehabilitation includes retraining in a manner that you acquire the skills necessary to return to gainful employment.

There are good local Will County workers' comp attorneys who can help you get the compensation you and your family deserve. Hamilton and Antonsen is one example of a Will County workers' comp law firm who can help win your case and get you maximum dollar for your injury. Once you hire the right lawyer, there isnt much else for you to do, but continue to follow your treatment and provide you attorney with the information he or she requests. Good luck! You can contact Hamilton & Antonsen by calling the number listed on the left of this page. (815)729-9220.

When Should I hire a Joliet workers' comp lawyer?

2010-04-05T17:29:00.002-05:00

The best time to hire a Joliet workers’ compensation lawyer is as soon as you are injured. Fortunately for the client, he or she pays the same amount in fees no matter when they hire representation. So, the best decision an injured worker can make is to hire a local Joliet workers’ compensation lawyer right away. There are many reasons for this. First and foremost, a good workers’ compensation lawyer can help guide you through the complicated system, and help protect your rights.

The number one reason many claims get denied are because the injured worker did not notify his or her insurance company in time. It is important to have a Joliet attorney file your claim immediately so this argument cannot affect your case. When you file, your case it is assigned to an Arbitrator. So, for example, if you lose your benefits or they are wrongfully denied, you can quickly have your argument heard in front of a Judge, where your attorney can fight for your rights.
Many times injured workers are afraid their employers will get mad or fire them for filing a workers’ compensation case. It is important that people know firing someone for simply filing a claim is illegal. For the client’s peace of mind lawyers rarely deal with employers, rather we negotiate with insurance companies. We know you care about your job. A good workers’ compensation attorney will protect your employment.

It is also important to contact a local workers’ compensation attorney even if you have been fired ‘for cause’ and may not believe you are entitled to benefits. Recently the Illinois Supreme Court handed down a controversial decision angering many defense attorneys and insurance companies. In brief, the decision in that particular case stated the employer owed temporary disability benefits even though the employee was “fired for cause” (where the worker was on light duty restrictions.) While this was a specific instance, and not one that applies to all cases, it is mentioned simply to highlight the fact that benefits are often available in situations where an employee may believe otherwise. A good workers’ compensation attorney is on top of recent Illinois decisions and can find compensation for workers’ for their work related injuries.