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If you are injured on the job, one of the first things you should do is file a claim with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. The Commission oversees the cases of injured workers, and there are hearing locations throughout the state. In Will County, cases are heard on the second floor of the Joliet Public Library, located at 150 N. Ottawa Street in Joliet, Illinois. Your claim would be heard here if you are injured in the Will County area, or if you are injured out of state but work in the area.

Under Illinois workers’ compensation law, most work-related injuries are covered. In other words, you should be able to get benefits – payment for medical bills and lost wages – if you’ve been injured on the job. Eligible work injuries range from one-time back injuries to carpal tunnel caused by years of typing. You can even receive compensation for an occupational illness, which is an illness caused by your job. For example, workers who get sick from inhaling fumes or being exposed to harmful chemicals can file a claim for workers’ compensation in Illinois.

A workers’ compensation claim is not a lawsuit. In fact, filing a claim with the commission takes the place of a lawsuit. If you are injured on the job, you can file a claim regardless of fault. In other words, if you got hurt at work because you were being careless, you can file a claim and receive benefits. On the flip side, if your injury was your employer’s fault, you generally cannot file a lawsuit. Filing a claim with the Commission is your only option.

The first step is to notify your employer. In Illinois, you must do this within 45 days of your injury. Another important deadline to keep in mind is the statute of limitations, which says that you must file a claim with the Commission within three years of the date of injury. If you have received benefits, then this deadline is two years from the date of your last payment.

There are three main types of benefits available to injured workers in Illinois:

• Medical. Your medical bills should be covered 100%, so long as the expenses are reasonable and related to your work injury. There should be zero out-of-pocket expenses.
• Temporary Total Disability. If you are unable to work while you recover from your injury, or if your employer can’t accommodate your work restrictions, you can receive 2/3 of your average weekly wage during this time.
• Permanent Partial Disability. You can receive compensation for a permanent injury, which is a status determined by your doctor. If you can return to work but at a lesser paying position, you may be compensated for the difference.

In Illinois, unlike some other states, you can choose the doctor who treats you for your work injury. However, keep in mind that your employer’s insurance company may ask you to submit to a one-time exam by a different doctor, called an Independent Medical Exam or IME.

When you file a workers’ compensation claim, you will be dealing mostly with your employer’s insurance carrier, not your employer. This is one of the reasons we recommend hiring an attorney to represent you. It’s not easy to go up against an insurance company. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney will know how to best negotiate on your behalf and ensure that you are fully compensated.

Workers’ compensation attorneys charge on a contingency basis, rather than hourly. You only pay your attorney if they are able to get you benefits. If you get nothing, you pay nothing. A typical contingency fee is 20% of what you recover. In Illinois there is no limit on the amount you can recover for a work injury.

We believe you should hire the best attorney you can, and because the fee arrangement will likely be the same no matter who you hire, you’ve got nothing to lose. Our goal is to help you find the best attorney for your situation. Whether that attorney is in Joliet, elsewhere in Will County, or even outside of Will County, we can help you find them.

If you have been injured at work in Will County, Illinois, and you need help finding a workers’ compensation attorney, contact us. All calls and emails are free and confidential.

Findgreatlawyers.com helps with work injury cases throughout Illinois including Joliet, Bolingbrook, Lemont and other cities in and near Will County. We help with all types of injuries including carpal tunnel, RSD, back injuries, knee, neck, shoulder and general repetitive trauma. See for yourself why access to our service is like having a lawyer in the family.