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For an injured worker in Illinois it is not appropriate to think about settling their claim until they have been discharged from medical care and returned to work. Typically when you settle a workers' compensation claim in the state of Illinois it ends your right to additional compensation at the employer's expense as a result of that specific injury. In other words, if you settle too soon and need additional medical treatment you may have to pay for it yourself.

Illinois work accident settlements are called permanent partial disability (PPD). The amount of PPD that you are entitled to is determined by a formula that takes into account the pre-injury wages, subsequent medical treatment and stabilized medical status of the injured worker. It is not meant to be a windfall for a worker or to set them up for retirement. What it is supposed to do is make up for the partial disability they will experience in the future. In order to determine what your claim may be worth we strongly suggest that you see an experienced Illinois workers compensation lawyer and have them review your medical records.

If an injured worker can no longer work their usual job and has sustained a wage loss, they may be entitled to wage differential benefits until their disability ceases. In Illinois, wage differential benefits are 2/3 of what you would currently be making in full performance of your previous job as compared to what you can currently make now. In other words, if your old job would currently pay $900.00 a week and you can now only make $600.00 a week, you would be entitled to 2/3 of the difference a week or $200.00. For accidents as of September 1, 2011 and later, wage differential benefits are not available indefinitely. They are limited to when the worker turns 67 or limited to five years from the date when benefits are awarded, whichever is later.

If an injured worker can never return to a stable labor market and is found to be permanently and totally disabled, they would be entitled to permanent disability benefits for the rest of their life. This is a weekly payment that is equivalent to the TTD benefit rate, but can increase due to costs of living.

This was a brief overview of PPD benefits in the state of Illinois and settling Illinois workers compensation claims.. Our founding attorneys are Illinois workers compensation lawyers. If you have any questions or would like a referral, please call us at (312) 346-5320 or (800) 517-1614 or fill out our contact us form and we will contact you.

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