Category: Workers’ Compensation

Special work injury benefits programs may be available for federal employees, those employed in state and local government positions, railroad workers, seamen, longshoremen, and people engaged in maritime activities. When injured, the employee must determine what regulations apply to his injury and then file a claim with the appropriate program.

Whole person ratings are often miscalculated, leading to reduced workers' compensation benefits. Working with a work injury attorney can help ensure that workers are assigned appropriate whole person ratings based on the severity and nature of their injuries.

Amazon has recently joined the ranks of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NCOSH) “dirty dozen” list of the most dangerous workplaces in America. NCOSH released a report regarding the hazardous conditions at Amazon’s warehouses throughout the country.

Workers in the sanitation industry who ride refuse collection trucks or operate compaction equipment have a higher risk of suffering serious or fatal injuries. Exposure to hazardous substances, equipment malfunctions, and falling off of equipment, becoming entrapped, or getting run over are serious threats in this profession.

Worker fatigue and demanding work schedules make working the graveyard shift dangerous for many sanitation workers. Working the night shift increases the risk of serious injuries and fatalities among clean-up crews working in the meatpacking industry.

When a worker is injured on the job and the employer cannot accommodate the employee’s permanent restrictions, that person may be entitled to vocational rehabilitation. The Illinois Workers Compensation Act specifies provisions for vocational rehabilitation for eligible workers.

Increased silica exposure is causing a surge in the number of coal miners contracting pneumoconiosis, commonly known as black lung disease. Today’s miners are now at a higher risk of developing this condition in a shorter time period than their predecessors.

While equipment and technology are supposed to make farming easier, they have added to the high number of fatalities and serious injuries that occur within the agricultural industry each year. Distraction is a common link in many fatal farm accidents.

Currently, at least 17 injuries a month occur in meat packing plants that require amputations, loss of an eye or hospitalization. These numbers are expected to rise as speed restrictions have been lifted. Why? Because the government’s reasoning that employers will adhere to strict rules for food safety will allow for setting limits on line speeds, which is not always likely.

Most Chicago employers are required to maintain workers’ compensation insurance to compensate employees who are injured on the job or suffer work-related illnesses. Employers who knowingly fail to maintain this insurance can receive a minimum fine of $10,000 and $500 per day without insurance.