Chicago, Illinois Teacher Injury & Workers’ Compensation Claims

According to the National Education Association, “Teachers are more likely to be assaulted than police officers.”

Despite the importance of their jobs, teachers are often not given the respect they deserve. The underpaid educators are constantly dealing with challenging students, difficult parents, and low pay, leading to stress and injuries.

The personal injury attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC are dedicated to helping injured teachers receive the compensation they deserve.

Our Chicago, Illinois workers’ compensation lawyers will work tirelessly to get you the best possible outcome for your case. Contact our law firm toll-free for a free case evaluation to explore your legal options.

In the 2018-2019 school year, there were 97,000 victims of nonfatal violence at school, including 5,700 assaults with a weapon.

Teacher Workplace Injuries

Injuries can happen at any time, but what happens if a teacher gets injured? More than 3.8 million people are employed as teachers in the United States alone.

Consequently, accidents can happen even in the most caring environment, such as a classroom. When injuries occur, schools must recognize what steps need to be taken.

First of all, injuries that occur on an educational institution’s property should be reported to the institution’s nurse or secretary as soon as possible. These injuries include those that happen during public school-sponsored activities such as field trips and after an educational institution’s sports.

Teacher Personal Injury Statistics

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), approximately 5% of all workplace accidents happen to teachers. Unfortunately, sometimes educators are hurt by children.

According to recent statistics, an average of three million educators are faced with violence each year.

Causes of Teacher Workplace Injuries

• Slip, trip, and falls
• Use of equipment that is not designed for the teacher’s task [this includes classroom desks]
• Kneeling or bending in tight spaces
• Repetitive hand movements
• Repetitive movements over an extended period
• Not using proper safety equipment, such as helmets and safety glasses
• Being exposed to sharp tools, toxic chemicals, or toxins that are released into the air
• Being exposed to high noise levels over extended periods without proper protection

Common Teachers Injuries and Illnesses in Illinois

• High blood pressure
• Cumulative trauma that evolves into gastrointestinal issues and sleep disturbances
• Illness from toxic exposure to mold and asbestos
• Toxic contamination from pests in confined places

Chicago Teachers Union

The Chicago, Illinois teacher’s union is the largest in the United States, with over 25,000 members.

It has supported smaller class sizes, keeping art and music teachers in the school system, and improved facilities to support student learning. It has been an active participant in education reform debates, including support for early childhood education.

Protecting Teachers Against Violence in Schools

According to data from 2017-2018, student violence against teachers was a national crisis that had reached approximately 300,000. Some states have implemented policies against unruly students and tried to strengthen disciplinary actions, but it’s an uphill battle.

A learning institution has a responsibility to keep its employees, students, and visitors safe. When the learning center does not uphold this responsibility, an injury can occur to any of these individuals.

Similarly, an employer should not determine medical treatment or the extent of an injury. It is always best to refer all medical questions to a worker’s physician, who has a legal obligation to keep any information about an injury confidential.

Holding the Negligent Parties Responsible for Teacher’s Serious Injuries

School administrators could be held responsible for negligent hiring if a non-teaching adult injures or hurts an educator on an educational institution’s grounds. The school district may have failed to screen or train that adult.

The distinction between adults and children as potential dangers on educational institution grounds can be hard to discern.

On the other hand, if a child hurts an educator, the learning institution district could face liability for failing to protect that educator from foreseeable injuries. It takes an experienced law firm to sort out these liability issues.

Filing a Teacher Work-related Injury Lawsuit

The procedure for filing teacher injury cases in the legal system is as follows:

• An educator or principal reports the injury to their immediate supervisor in writing.
• A licensed physician must examine the educator.
• Within 15 days of the examination, an application for a claim must be filed with the Division of Workers’ Comp. In this application, a signed statement is required from the injured worker attesting to all of the facts and circumstances surrounding their injury.
• A claim must be filed with the Division of Workers’ Comp if the occupation is covered by the Illinois State Workers’ Compensation Law.
• Under the Illinois State Workers ‘ Compensation Law, the educational institution district where the injury occurred is not considered a covered occupation.
• The Division of Workers’ Comp will then forward a copy of the claim to the school district, along with a copy of the written report from the chiropractor.

What Injured Teachers Should Demonstrate to Win an Illinois Workers’ Compensation Claims

The worker’s compensation benefits system is a no-fault program providing insurance coverage for injured workers, including teachers hurt in their workplace. The educators are entitled to receive benefits even if they caused their own injuries, damages, or death.

However, the insurer could deny the claim or delay the payment citing that the injuries did not occur while the teacher was working in their position at school, sports outing, or another school-sponsored event.

Illinois Teachers Worker’s Compensation

The workers’ compensation system is a unique insurance system that provides wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured on the job. More importantly, the workers’ compensation system is a no-fault insurance system.

For those teachers whose job is to deal with students from troubled homes or neighborhoods, the risk of injury is higher. It is especially true if an educator must work with students after learning hours or during lunch breaks.

Therefore, teachers need to understand how Illinois Workers’ Compensation may protect them after suffering an on-the-job injury.

If a teacher is a victim of work-related injuries, they need to file an injury claim with the school district.

Our law firm has helped most teachers file their claims, and we can help you too. Contact us at 888-424-5757 to schedule a free consultation.

How an Experienced Workers Compensation Attorney Helps to File Teacher’s Injuries Lawsuits

A lawyer specializing in workers’ compensation should be contacted when the teacher sustains an injury or any form of health-related issue while on the job.

A teacher’s injuries must be dealt with under the law. A legal expert in this field must have the skills to handle all work injury claims, including safety issues in an educational institution.

Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim

If you are a teacher and have been hurt, you should hire a lawyer dealing with workers’ compensation to handle your case. You must file a claim for a settlement, which will help you deal with all costs arising from your injury. In most cases, the employer is responsible for paying these expenses.

A workers’ compensation law firm can help you write a letter to your employer, including filing an injury lawsuit on your behalf. A law firm will also help with the issue of benefits, among other legal requirements.

The process involves many steps, which need to be followed correctly. These steps include taking the necessary documents to your lawyers, who will ask you a few questions.

How an Attorney Can Help

Your answers will help an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to file your injury suit. These documents include medical reports, bills for treatment, and any other paperwork related to the incident leading to your injury.

Your law firm will handle your case on a contingency basis, meaning you won’t have to pay any fee unless we win your case and obtain a settlement.

Have you or your child suffered toxic exposure, property damage due to negligent actions, or negligent hiring in the center of learning? If so, a lawyer from our law firm can explore your legal options to recover full compensation benefits.

Hiring a Chicago, Illinois Teacher Injury Lawyer to Resolve a Workers Compensation Benefits Lawsuit

If you have been injured while working and seek workers’ compensation benefits, it is important to understand your legal rights.

Chicago, Illinois workers’ compensation attorneys can help you file an injured worker lawsuit and ensure you receive the benefits you deserve.

Contact our law firm at (888) 424-5757 or visit our website to schedule a free consultation with an Illinois teacher injury attorney.

Resources:

• DePaul University – Violent Students in Chicago Public Schools
• NIH – Occupational injuries of educational staff