Workers in Waukegan are employed in many types of trades and industries. One thing that nearly all of these workers have in common is that they are covered by their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance policy. Workers’ compensation is a form of no-fault insurance that provides certain benefits for employees who are injured on the job or suffer a work-related illness. An experienced workers’ compensation lawyer from Schlack & Bassmaji can help you understand the benefits that are available for you and provide services to assist you in getting the maximum amount of coverage available.
Here is a brief look at workers’ compensation benefits in Waukegan, how to access those benefits, and some of the services a lawyer can provide.
There are two primary types of benefits available through a workers’ compensation claim for injured workers in Waukegan. The first is coverage of all reasonable medical costs associated with the injury. Notably, in Illinois, injured workers are permitted to choose their medical providers.
The second primary benefit of workers’ compensation is wage replacement while the worker is recovering from their injury or work-related illness. There are different categories of wage replacement, including temporary partial or temporary total disability payments for injuries that the employee is expected to recover from. There is also permanent partial and permanent total disability for injuries that create long-lasting impacts to the worker’s ability to perform the tasks of a job.
Additional benefits that are provided through the state’s workers’ compensation laws include death benefits for the dependents of a worker who dies from a work-related injury or illness. There are also vocational rehabilitation benefits for workers whose injury prevents them from doing the old tasks they performed, and need new job skills to transition to a different position.
In order to begin the process of receiving workers’ compensation benefits in Waukegan, an employee must report their work-related injury to their employer within 45 days and seek needed medical care for the injury. Once the employer has received notification of the injury, they must report the injury to the insurance provider who services their policy, as well as to the state workers’ compensation commission.
In many cases, the insurance provider will begin providing benefits within a reasonable time following the claim. However, if the employer or the insurance company disputes the claim, the claimant can request a hearing led by an arbitrator who will examine the evidence and determine if the worker is owed benefits. The arbitrator’s decision can also be appealed before a three-person panel of the state’s workers’ compensation commission.
An experienced lawyer in Waukegan can often help injured workers obtain the medical services they need through a network of local healthcare providers who are willing to wait for payment until after the claim is resolved. Additionally, a lawyer can draft the claim or the appeal for the workers’ compensation commission, present evidence at the hearing, and ensure that the claimant receives all of the benefits that they are entitled to.
If you have suffered an on-the-job injury or are dealing with a work-related illness, let an experienced personal injury lawyer from Schlack & Bassmaji help you understand what comes next. We can explain the workers’ compensation benefits you are entitled to in Waukegan. Contact us for a free consultation today.
