Bedford Park Workers Compensation Lawyer

Got Hurt at a Bedford Park Warehouse or Factory? We Need to Talk.

Let me ask you something.

Did you get hurt loading trucks? Operating a forklift? Working on an assembly line? Driving in one of those crazy-busy freight yards?

If you work anywhere in Bedford Park—and honestly, it's pretty much all warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing plants around here—you already know the work is brutal. Heavy lifting. Fast pace. Demanding supervisors breathing down your neck about productivity. Equipment that's older than it should be. Safety shortcuts because the company wants to save a buck.

And now you're injured.

Maybe your back went out lifting something heavy. Maybe you got crushed between a forklift and a pallet. Maybe you fell off a loading dock. Maybe machinery caught your hand or arm.

Whatever happened, you're probably sitting at home right now—or maybe you're still trying to work through the pain—wondering what the hell you're supposed to do next.

Here's what I know after doing this for over 25 years: The company doesn't care about you as much as you thought they did. And their insurance company? They're actively looking for ways to deny your claim or pay you as little as possible.

That's just reality. I wish it wasn't, but it is.

My name's Scott DeSalvo. I've been a workers comp lawyer since 1998, and I've probably handled a thousand cases from Bedford Park and the surrounding area. Warehouse workers. Manufacturing workers. Truck drivers. You name it.

Here's my deal: You don't pay me anything unless I win your case. Not a dime. And you can call me any time—literally 24/7, even at 3 in the morning if that's when you're up worrying about this.

Sound fair?

Why I Actually Give a Damn About This

Look, I could tell you some made-up story about why I became a workers comp lawyer, but I'm going to tell you the truth instead.

When I was nine, my dad got seriously hurt at work. He was a truck driver, union guy, Teamster. Good man. Hard worker.

The injury destroyed him. Not just physically—though the pain never went away—but the whole situation broke him down. His case dragged on for 17 years. Seventeen years of getting jerked around by insurance companies and lawyers who saw him as a paycheck instead of a person.

And you know what happened at the end? His own lawyer sued him for more money.

We went from doing okay to barely scraping by. I worked through high school, put myself through college and law school, and I decided that what happened to my father would never happen to anyone else if I could help it.

That's why I only represent injured workers. Never insurance companies. Never the employers. Just people who got hurt and need someone in their corner.

So yeah, I take this stuff personally.

The Kind of Injuries I See Every Week in Bedford Park

Let me tell you what actually happens in these warehouses and factories.

Warehouse Injuries (This is Most of My Bedford Park Cases)

Bedford Park is basically warehouse after warehouse after warehouse. Amazon, Target distribution, furniture warehouses, food distribution—it's nonstop. And the injuries? They're brutal:

Forklift accidents. I've seen people get run over, crushed, backed into. Some of these forklift drivers are going way too fast because management is pushing speed over safety.

Loading dock falls. You miss a step, the dock plate shifts, someone's not paying attention. Fifteen-foot falls onto concrete. I've seen broken bones, shattered ankles, head injuries.

Back injuries from lifting. You're supposed to get help with heavy stuff, but half the time there's nobody available and you're told to just do it. Years of that catches up with you. Then one day something gives out.

Crushed hands and feet. Pallets fall. Boxes slip. Machinery doesn't stop when it should. I've represented workers who lost fingers, who have permanent nerve damage, who can't grip things anymore.

Repetitive motion injuries. Your shoulder starts hurting. Then your elbow. Then you can barely lift your arm. That's from the same motion thousands of times a day, every day.

The companies act shocked when people get hurt, but come on. You push people that hard, with that much heavy equipment around? Of course people get hurt.

Manufacturing and Factory Injuries

The manufacturing facilities around Bedford Park—metal fabrication, food processing, packaging plants—they've got their own set of hazards:

Machinery accidents. Presses, rollers, conveyor belts, cutting equipment. When this stuff goes wrong, people lose fingers, hands, or worse.

Chemical burns and exposure. Some of these plants use nasty chemicals. Inadequate ventilation. Insufficient protective equipment. Workers end up with burns, respiratory problems, or long-term health issues.

Repetitive stress injuries from assembly line work. Standing in one spot doing the same motion for eight, ten, twelve hours a day? Your body breaks down.

Slip and falls on factory floors. Oil, water, debris. Concrete floors. No traction. Recipe for disaster.

I've represented plenty of factory workers who got seriously messed up because the company was cutting corners on safety.

H3: Trucking and Freight Terminal Injuries

With all the trucking operations and freight terminals around Bedford Park, truck drivers get hurt all the time:

Loading and unloading injuries. You're not supposed to do it yourself, but good luck getting help when you're on a tight schedule.

Slip and fall accidents. Icy trailers in winter. Wet truck beds. Metal surfaces with no grip.

Back and neck injuries from driving. Hours and hours behind the wheel, terrible seating, rough roads. Your spine takes a beating.

Getting hit by other trucks in the yard. Some of these freight yards are chaotic. Trucks backing up, pulling out. It's dangerous.

Truck driver cases can get complicated fast because of federal regulations and multiple insurance policies. You really need someone who knows this area.

Cold Storage and Food Distribution Injuries

Working in freezers and refrigerated warehouses? That's its own special kind of hell:

Cold-related injuries. Frostbite on your fingers. Hypothermia if you're in there too long. These companies are supposed to provide proper gear and limit exposure time, but they don't always follow their own rules.

Slip and fall accidents on ice. Everything's wet and frozen. People fall constantly.

Repetitive motion injuries from packaging work. Especially in food processing—same motion all day in freezing cold conditions. Your joints don't like that.

Equipment injuries. Forklifts in freezers have reduced visibility. Conveyor systems that freeze up and jam. People get hurt.

Cold storage work is tougher on your body than most people realize.

The Games Insurance Companies Play (And How I Shut Them Down)

After 25 years doing this, I've seen every dirty trick in the book. Let me tell you what to watch out for.

The "Independent" Doctor Exam

They send you to their doctor for an "independent medical examination. " Want to know what the doctor says every single time? "He's fine. He can go back to work." Even when you can barely walk. Even when your own doctor says you need surgery. These exams aren't independent—they're rigged. The insurance company pays the doctor hundreds of dollars per exam, and that doctor knows if he starts saying injured workers are actually injured, the insurance company stops sending him patients.

I know which doctors the insurance companies use in this area. I know their track records. And I know how to counter their BS reports with real medical evidence from legitimate doctors.

The Delay Game

Insurance companies figured out that if they delay your case long enough, you'll get desperate. Bills pile up. You're not getting a paycheck. You've got rent to pay, kids to feed. So when they finally offer you something—anything—you might take it even though it's way less than what you deserve.

That's why I push these cases hard. I don't let them sit around doing nothing for months while you suffer.

The Pre-Existing Condition Scam

This is their favorite lie. "Your back was already bad." Even if you never missed a single day of work for back pain before the injury, they'll claim it was pre-existing.

Here's what they don't tell you: Illinois law says that even if you had a pre-existing condition, if work made it worse, you still win your case. And I've won these cases hundreds of times.

The Lowball Settlement Offer

When you're broke and desperate, $5,000 sounds pretty good. But if your case is actually worth $50,000, that's a terrible deal. And once you sign, you can't come back later when you realize your injury is worse than you thought.

I make sure you understand what your case is actually worth before you sign anything.

Following You Around With Cameras

Yeah, they do this. They'll have someone follow you with a camera, hoping to catch you doing something that "proves" you're faking. Take out the garbage? They've got video. Play with your kids? They'll twist it to make you look like a fraud.

I prepare my clients for this. And I know how to explain to an arbitrator why the surveillance doesn't mean what the insurance company claims it means.

What You're Supposed to Get (Most Workers Have No Idea)

Let me break this down in plain English.

All Your Medical Bills Covered

Everything. Hospital. Surgery. Doctor visits. Physical therapy. Medications. Medical equipment. Mileage to and from appointments. All of it.

No co-pays. No deductibles. The workers comp insurance pays 100%.

If they're not paying for something your doctor says you need, that's a problem we need to fix immediately.

Weekly Checks While You're Off Work

If your doctor takes you completely off work, you get what's called TTD—temporary total disability. That's two-thirds of your average weekly wage.

These checks are supposed to start within 14 days of your injury. If they don't, the insurance company owes you penalties on top of your benefits.

A lot of workers don't know this. They wait months for their first check. That's illegal, and I can fix it.

Money for Permanent Injuries

When you're done with treatment but you still have permanent problems—can't lift as much, can't stand as long, chronic pain—you get permanent partial disability benefits.

How much depends on what body part got injured and how bad the permanent damage is. I fight like hell to maximize this number because it makes a huge difference in your settlement.

If you're so messed up you can never work again, permanent total disability can pay you for life. These cases require serious legal work, but they're winnable.

Vocational Rehab Benefits

Can't do your old job anymore? You might be entitled to retraining or vocational rehabilitation. Or if you have to take a lower-paying job because of your restrictions, we might be able to get you the difference in wages for years.

That adds up to real money over time.

Why Local Experience Actually Matters

I've been handling Bedford Park cases since the late 90s. That experience gives you advantages you might not think about.

I Know the Employers Around Here

I've handled cases against most of the big warehouses and factories in Bedford Park. I know which ones fight every claim. I know which ones are reasonable. I know who their insurance carriers are and what tactics they use.

That knowledge helps me build better cases.

I Work With Doctors Who Get Industrial Work

Not every doctor understands what it's like to lift heavy boxes for 10 hours straight or operate machinery in freezing cold conditions. I've built relationships with doctors who actually get it. Their medical reports make or break cases, and I make sure you're seeing doctors who will document your injuries properly.

I've Seen These Injury Patterns Before

When you've handled a thousand warehouse injury cases, you start to see patterns. I know what evidence we need to gather early. I know what arguments the insurance company will make. I know how to prove your case.

The Arbitrators Know Me

I appear before the Illinois Workers Compensation Commission regularly. The arbitrators who hear these cases know me. They know I come prepared. They know I don't file frivolous claims. That professional credibility helps my clients.

What You Need to Do Right Now

The next 24-48 hours matter. A lot. Don't screw this up.

Tell Your Supervisor Immediately

Report the injury right away. Even if it seems minor. Even if you think you'll be fine tomorrow. Get it documented. Get a copy of the accident report.

If you wait weeks to report it, the insurance company will claim it didn't really happen at work.

See a Doctor ASAP

Emergency room if it's serious. Otherwise, see a doctor as soon as you possibly can. Don't be tough. Don't wait. You need medical documentation of your injury from day one.

Document What Happened

Take photos if you can. Write down exactly what happened while it's fresh. Get names of witnesses. This stuff matters later.

Don't Talk to Insurance Without Talking to Me First

They'll call you. They'll be friendly. They'll want a recorded statement. They'll ask you to sign forms.

Don't do it. Everything you say will be used against you. Let me handle them. Call Me

Seriously. Call me right now. (312) 500-4500. I'm available 24/7. If you got hurt on a Saturday night, call me. If you're sitting at home at 2 AM worrying about this, call me.

The sooner I'm involved, the better I can protect you.

"But I Can't Afford a Lawyer..."

Stop. You can afford me. Here's how it works:

You pay me nothing upfront. Zero. I don't need a retainer or a consultation fee or anything else.

I only get paid if I win your case. My fee comes out of your settlement. If we lose, you owe me nothing.

I even pay for all the case costs—medical records, filing fees, expert witnesses, all of it.

For workers comp cases, the fee is set by law at 20%. That's standard across the board.

So you can't afford NOT to hire a lawyer. The insurance company has a whole team of lawyers protecting them. You need someone protecting you.

Don't Let a Pre-Existing Condition Stop You

I need to address this because it stops a lot of workers from even calling.

You're thinking: "Well, my back was kind of bothering me before, so I probably don't have a case. "

Wrong.

Illinois law is clear: If work made a pre-existing condition worse, you can still win your case. I've done it hundreds of times.

The key is being honest about it from the start. The insurance company will find out about any prior injuries anyway. If we hide it and they discover it later, your credibility is shot.

But if we're upfront about the pre-existing condition and prove that work made it significantly worse, we win. I know how to do that.

"Will I Get Fired for Filing Workers Comp?"

Short answer: Legally, no. They can't fire you for filing a workers comp claim. It's called retaliatory discharge and it's illegal.

Real answer: Some companies do it anyway. They just come up with a different excuse—performance issues, attendance problems, whatever.

If you think you've been fired because you filed for workers comp, call me immediately. I handle retaliatory discharge cases. They're complicated to prove, but they're winnable.

What Actually Makes Me Different

There are plenty of lawyers who do workers comp. Some are good. Most aren't.

Here's what separates me:

I've Had Real Training

I'm a graduate of Gerry Spence's Trial Lawyers College. I've completed "The Edge" program. These are elite training programs that most lawyers never even know about. I've spent over $100,000 and thousands of hours learning from the best trial lawyers in the country.

Why? So you get better results. That's it.

I've Actually Tried Cases

I've had more than 30 jury trials and hundreds of workers comp hearings. Most lawyers retire without half that experience. When insurance companies see my name on a case, they know I'm not bluffing about going to trial if we need to.

I Treat People Like People

You're not a case number. You're not just another file. You call me, I call you back. You have questions, I answer them. You deserve to be treated with respect, and that's how my practice operates.

How Long Will This Take?

I wish I could promise you that it will be resolved in 30 days. But honestly, I can't do that. Here's reality:

Some cases settle in a few months. Some take a year or more. Cases that go to hearing at the Commission can take 1-2 years.

I push every case as hard as I can because you need money. But I will never pressure you to take a bad settlement offer just to close a case fast. On the contrary, I will go back and forth with the insurance company to get you as much money in your pocket as possible, and this takes time. 

Your long-term wellbeing matters more than my short-term paycheck.

A Bedford Park Case I'll Never Forget

I represented a guy who got seriously hurt at a warehouse off Cicero Avenue. Forklift collision. Another worker backed into him without looking. He got thrown off the forklift and landed on concrete. Messed up his back bad.

Insurance company denied the claim. Said it was his fault for being in the way. Also claimed his back was already bad even though he'd never missed work for it before.

I got witness statements. Got security footage. Brought in medical experts. Proved it was 100% the other guy's fault and 100% caused by the accident.

We got his surgery approved. Got every penny of his lost wages. Settled his permanent disability claim for a good amount.

He's back working now—different job that he can actually do with his limitations. Family's financially stable.

That's what I'm trying to do for you.

Questions You're Probably Wondering About

"How much is my case worth? "

Can't tell you without knowing way more details. Anyone who gives you a number on the phone before knowing anything about your case is lying. What I can tell you: I'll fight to get you every dollar you deserve.

"What if I already talked to the insurance company? "

Might be a problem, might not. Call me and let's figure out where we stand.

"Can I switch lawyers? "

Yes. If your current lawyer isn't given you the results you need, you can fire them and hire me. I'll work out the fees with them. You will pay the same amount of money, as if you'd hired me from the start. We split the earnings with any previous attorney you've had, so you never have to pay more. 

"Do I have to use their doctor? "

You have to go to their "independent" exam if they require it. But you get to choose your own treating doctor. That's your right under Illinois law.

Where I'm Located and Where I Go

My office is at 1000 Jorie Blvd, Ste 204, Oak Brook, IL 60523.

But I also meet clients wherever works for them. Your house in Bedford Park. A coffee shop in Burbank. A restaurant in Bridgeview. I go where you need me to go.

Bedford Park is my focus here, but I handle cases from all the surrounding communities too:

Burbank, Bridgeview, Chicago Ridge, Clearing, Cicero, Summit, Justice, Hickory Hills, Worth, Alsip—basically anywhere in this industrial corridor where people are getting hurt at warehouses, factories, and freight terminals.

Look, Here's the Bottom Line

You got hurt doing your job. It's not your fault. You were just working—loading trucks, operating equipment, whatever—and something went wrong.

Now you're injured, you're scared about money, and the insurance company is playing games.

You need help. Real help. Not someone who's going to shuffle your papers around and hope the insurance company throws you a few bucks.

I've been doing this since 1998. I've won millions of dollars for injured workers. I know how to fight these insurance companies and win.

Call me: (312) 500-4500

No fee unless we win. Available 24/7. Free consultation.

I'm Scott DeSalvo. This is what I do. Let me help you.

Stop suffering alone. Pick up the phone and call me. Let's talk about what happened and how we fix this.

I'm waiting.