Workers’ Compensation insurance protects employees from the financial consequences of workplace injuries suffered on the job. Injured victims often require emergency medical care and time off work. This type of insurance provides financial benefits to cover expenses.
Did you suffer a workplace injury or lose a loved one through a preventable death caused by another’s negligence at work? At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, our personal injury attorneys represent injured workers, ensuring they receive the maximum workers’ comp benefits and other financial compensation they deserve.
Call our Elgin, Illinois, workers’ compensation lawyers helping clients throughout Illinois at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the contact form today to schedule a free consultation.
All confidential or sensitive information you share with our legal team remains private through an attorney-client relationship.
Important Employers in the Elgin Area
Throughout its history, Elgin has become the home of some of the world’s most innovative companies due to its diverse approach to commerce and industry.
American NTN Bearing is among the city’s most notable companies, producing bearings for automotive manufacturing and industrial applications.
Colony Display Systems also calls Elgin home. It is a leading manufacturer of point-of-sale equipment used by some of the nation’s largest retailers.
In addition, Dynacast USA creates zinc die castings used by manufacturers to create machinery, engines, and other components and has also taken up residence in the area.
Other notable manufacturers include Fisher Nuts, the Elgin Sweeper Company, and the US Can Company.
Common Work-Related Injuries
If you work in industrial settings, protecting yourself from bodily harm is crucial. Illinois laws protect workers by guaranteeing benefits if they are injured – but some employers refuse to carry the insurance required, and others use unethical tactics to avoid payment of claims.
According to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, the most common workplace injuries include:
- Injuries due to falls off ladders or scaffolds while working on construction projects.
- Bone fractures caused by heavy machinery, tools, and other employees.
- Burns or electrical shock due to faulty wiring or defective equipment.
- Damage from exposure to hazardous materials such as chemicals, gases, and asbestos.
- Workers stress injuries repetitively due to improper body mechanics and lifting heavy objects.
- Worker injuries result from workplace violence by third parties such as customers, clients, or employees.
Your Elgin, Illinois Employer’s Obligations
Employers are responsible for paying workers’ compensation claims, typically through their insurance company policy. In some cases, the employer or insurer might attempt to deny the claim by showing that the individual’s injury was not work-related or occurred due to their negligence.
However, if an employer is found negligent for your injury, you may be entitled to additional compensation beyond workers’ compensation benefits. The compensation can include damages such as:
- Lost wages and future income
- Hospital bills
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Medical costs
- Additional monetary recovery for permanent partial disability injury claims
- Property damage
- Loss of consortium, companionship, and sexual relations when a married individual experiences an injury that results in death or leaves them permanently disabled
Filing a Negligent Third-Party Claim Through a Workers Compensation Claim
Workers’ comp benefits and negligent third-party claims are designed to help injured workers but differ in several ways.
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system that benefits employees injured, regardless of who was at fault. On the other hand, a third-party claim is a personal injury lawsuit that can be filed when someone is injured due to another person’s negligence.
Potential defendants in a civil lawsuit might include any person or entity responsible for the injured worker’s workplace accident, like other employees, subcontractors, manufacturers selling defective equipment, or drivers causing a crash involving a company car.
Which type of claim is best depends on your specific situation, extenuating circumstances, or additional employer liability.
Workers’ Comp and Wrongful Death
If your loved one dies in a workplace accident, you may be entitled to workers’ comp benefits covering those injured or killed on the job. Survivors losing family members in workplace accidents may seek compensation if eligible for death benefits, including:
- Hospitalization and Medical Treatment Costs: A workers’ comp benefits claim could provide funds to cover the cost of all injury-related care, physical therapy, medical expenses, and surgeries before the decedent died, including any hospital stays or medications.
- Lost Wages: Survivors of a deceased worker may receive up to two-thirds of their average monthly wage (up to two years) from a workers’ comp claim. This wage replacement is intended to help surviving family members offset lost income.
- Funeral Expenses: Workers’ comp claims can pay for burial expenses up to $5,000 providing financial relief for grieving families.
- Housing Assistance: Surviving family members may be eligible for housing assistance if they cannot keep their home due to decreased earnings.
- Death Benefits: Dependents (children and/or parents dependent on the deceased worker) can receive an additional benefit, including a lump-sum payment through survivors’ insurance.
Hire a Workers’ Compensation Benefits Attorney Today!
Did you suffer work injuries or develop a job-related illness due to exposure to toxic gases or materials and attempt to seek compensation for your damages? An Elgin workers’ compensation attorney from our law offices can initiate civil litigation on your behalf.
Each of our clients receives the maximum amount of worker’s compensation benefits allowed under Illinois tort law. The employer’s insurance company resolves these negotiated claims for financial recovery.
Our personal injury attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, accept every workers’ compensation claim through a contingency fee agreement. This arrangement ensures that you will not pay any of our legal fees until your Elgin workers’ compensation attorney resolves your case through a negotiated settlement or jury award.
Call an Elgin, IL, workers’ compensation lawyer at (888) 424-5757 to schedule a free consultation or for more information on our personal injury law firm, immediate legal representation, practice areas, and our years of experience.
