On-The-Job Injuries Date: Oct 3, 2018

Illinois workers’ compensation law protects all people who are injured while working. Your are entitled be paid while you are recovering; your are entitled to the best medical care; and you are entitled to a cash settlement. On the job injuries can cause financial hardship. While you are recovering, you may not be able to work, which can significantly impact your earnings. States have workers’ compensation programs to help injured workers get benefits to replace lost income and pay for medical care. For those who qualify for workers’ compensation, injuries can be a little less daunting. Your employer’s insurance company will not tell you ALL of the benefits your are entitled to. If you are injured, report your injury to your supervisor immediately, and go see a doctor.

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Often times workers’ compensation insurance companies deny claims because a worker delayed reporting the injury or delayed in going to see a doctor. Always report your injury in writing, which will allow you to have proof to the insurance company that you reported your injury. Go see the doctor and get checked out, if the doctor says your are okay, then you go back to work. If the doctor says you need treatment, then the workers’ compensation insurance company must pay for your treatment. Most workers who are injured on the job, do not report there injury, because they do not want to “rock the boat”. The problem is when the injury gets worse and you really need treatment, the insurance company denies the claim because it was not reported timely or you did not see a doctor immediately. You need a workers compensation lawyer which will walk you through the process. Call workers’ compensation attorney George Argionis for a free consultation.

What Is Considered a Workplace Injury?

In Illinois, work injuries refer to workplace accidents or injuries that occur during work duties. To qualify for workers’ compensation in Illinois, your workplace injury must have occurred during your work duties. You may also be able to get benefits if your work caused an illness.

Common Workplace Injuries

Even seemingly safe workplaces can be the site of serious on-the-job injuries. Common injuries in the workplace include:

  • Overexertion: When you push, pull, lift or throw anything, you can pull a muscle or push a joint beyond its limit. Overexertion is the leading cause of workplace injuries, and it is most often seen in positions that require physical work, such as jobs on construction sites or in manufacturing or industrial workplaces.
  • Falls From a Height: Falls down stairs, from scaffolding on a construction site and other heights can lead to head injuries and other life-threatening injuries. While these injuries are often seen on construction sites, they can happen anywhere workers may need to use the stairs or use a ladder.
  • Slip and Fall or Trip and Fall: Slipping on a wet floor, tripping over debris or slipping on an icy walkway can all lead to fractures, abrasions and other injuries. Just about every worker who must walk into buildings or anywhere inside or outside the workplace may be vulnerable to these types of injuries.
  • Impact With an Object: When items fall from a shelf, they can crush workers or cause fractures or head injuries. Retail workers, warehouse employees, office professionals and others are vulnerable to this type of injury. Workers can also crash into an object, such as machinery, causing damage.
  • Traffic Accidents: Truck drivers, police officers, and other workers who drive as part of their jobs are most at risk for truck, car, or pedestrian accidents.
  • Reaction Injuries: When any worker slips or trips and tries to break the fall, they can still be injured if they sprain or twist a wrist or ankle.
  • Repetitive Motion Injury: Workers who repeat the same motion by typing, working in an assembly line or otherwise recreating a movement can experience side effects like bursitis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel or other injuries.
  • Accidents Involving Machinery: On construction sites and in factories or other workplaces where employees work around heavy machinery, crushing injuries and other devastating injuries can occur.
  • Violence: Assault and other forms of violence can originate from coworkers, clients, customers and even strangers.

Chicago and Illinois workers can face injuries, too. Each year, about 45,000 workers’ compensation claims are filed across Illinois, and Chicago accounts for one-third of this number. Each year, about 3.5 percent of employees in Illinois suffer an on-the-job injury. For construction workers, that number is 3.7 percent.

Were You or Someone You Know Recently Injured on the Job?

If you or someone you know was recently injured on the job, get in touch with a Chicago workers’ compensation attorney who can help you apply for benefits or resolve any worries you have with the workers’ compensation program. You can always contact workers compensation lawyer George Argionis for a free consultation.

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George Argionis has over 20 years of experience in handling cases involving auto collisions, premises injuries, medical malpractice, product liability, construction-related and work-related injuries. He has dedicated his career to helping restore lives both emotionally and economically.