Workers Compensation In Illinois: 2 Ways To Get Benefits
Workers Compensation In Illinois covers almost every worker who gets hurt on the job.
Workers compensation in Illinois benefits is a topic that’s often mired in legal complications. Between your employer and the insurance companies, there are many legal hurdles and procedures to overcome. When everyone follows the rules, though, receiving proper compensation is not difficult. It’s only when employers commit fraud or refuse to pay that things get complicated.
If you’re having trouble receiving the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve call a Chicago personal injury lawyer right away. A Chicago Workers Comp lawyer will be able to answer your questions and give you a free, no obligation consultation, and will be able to answer your questions.
When things go right in Workers Comp
The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission handles disputed cases of workers’ compensation. However, when things go as planned, there’s no reason to involve either the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission or a Chicago personal injury lawyer. Well, that’s not 100% accurate. EVERY case of an injured worker in Illinois is filed at the Commission. The reason for that is: it is free to file a Workers Comp case. If things go esmmothly, there is no issue, but if things do not, having a case filed gives us access to the Judge, called an Arbitrator, who can make sure the Company is following the rules and you are getting the benefits you deserve.
As the employee, you simply report the incident to your employer as soon as possible (within 45 days), fill out the proper paperwork, and get treatment. You should also ask your employer if he or she has a preference on the healthcare provider you see since insurance plans differ in the hospitals or clinics their payments are accepted at. The truth is that you can go to almost any doctor if you have been injured at work, since almost all doctors and hospitals are perfectly happy to take a case and bill the Workers Compensation insurance company.
When things go wrong in Workers Comp
Unfortunately, sometimes things don’t go as planned. Either the employer doesn’t have the insurance they’re supposed to, they want to dispute the claim, or there are issues with the insurance company. No matter what the case may be, the first thing you should do as an employee is call a Chicago personal injury lawyer. In fact, getting a free consultation BEFORE things go back is a really good idea, because a lawyer will make sure you get all of your benefits and will also make sure that you get more money that you’d get without one.
There is a strict set of procedures you must follow to give yourself the best chance of receiving the benefits and compensation that you’re entitled to. That procedure starts with you (as the employee) filing a claim with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Then you or your employer must request a hearing. At that point, a hearing with an arbitrator will be scheduled and unless the case is settled it will proceed a step further to court. You are defnitely going to want a Workers Comp lawyer to represent you at any sort of hearing before the Commission.
While this process might sound simple at first glance, this is only a short overview. Most Workers Compensation in Illinois cases last at least a year, usually more.
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