Category: Workers’ Compensation

According to the American Cancer Society, diesel exhaust is linked to many lung cancer deaths in the U.S. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal states that approximately 12 million workers are exposed to diesel exhaust every year. Workers employed in auto, construction, mining, farming and shipping industries have the heaviest exposure to diesel exhaust fumes.

A worker gets injured and files a workers compensation claim. They then go to the doctor for treatment and are prescribed painkillers to help with the healing process. However, rather than simply prescribing the necessary amount of medication, they sell them more than they need.

The Occupational Health & Safety Administration has issued new rules that will limit workers permissible exposure to silica dust to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air inhaled during a typical 8-hour shift. Crystalline silica dust presents a serious health risk to miners, industrial workers, and construction professionals who handle the material on a regular basis.

After an accident, some companies may be reluctant to report violations or take responsibility. All severe work-related injuries must be reported within 24 hours to OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. A workplace fatality must be reported within eight hours. Over 10,000 severe injuries were reported nationwide in 2015.

Even with new laws in place designed to reduce the cost of physician-dispensed prescriptions, drug costs are rising in Illinois. A recent study shows that many doctors have found a way around these reforms, which allows them to charge higher prices for new strengths and formulations of drugs often prescribed to injured workers.

In the early 21st century, a troubling trend emerged in the American workplace. Years spent working at a computer led to permanent and debilitating damage to the back, neck, shoulders, and arms of workers. The result was an explosion of carpal tunnel claims and nerve/tendon surgery.

Many workers fear that their employment will be terminated if they file a workers’ compensation claim. For this reason, many ignore their injuries and suffer in silence for fear that they will lose their livelihood if they seek treatment.

Governor Rauner has been trying to turn workers’ compensation reform into a wedge issue. He claims that exorbitant workers’ compensation insurance premiums are driving businesses and jobs out of Illinois, stifling growth and eliminating jobs.

The fastest growing category of claims a Chicago workers compensation lawyer handles involves repetitive stress injuries (RSI). An RSI is an injury most often caused by repetitive motion of a joint, overexertion, or poor positioning during work.

Until workers’ compensation, an employee injured on the job could only sue their employer for recourse. This was a costly process, for employer and employee, and often didn’t produce anything for the employee. Some European countries adopted legislation to protect employees who were injured while at work.