Coronavirus and Illinois Workers’ Compensation and Social Security Disability

Rapid change this week on the Coronavirus front and how it is impacting Illinois Work Comp cases and Social Security Disability cases.

The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission has suspended all in person Arbitration proceedings for the remainder of March 2020. This means no on site meetings with Arbitrators and lawyers. There is a provision for emergency proceedings. No official word on what this means.

The practical effect is that this slows down the system and makes it difficult to reach settlement or have a trial on your case. If this extends for several months or more, the system will be under great stress and it will make it very difficult for injured workers.

On the Social Security Disability side, the Federal government has suspended all in person hearings. Your options are a telephone hearing or a video hearing at a lawyer’s office who has special video equipment.

If you have to reschedule the hearing it may take months to get a new hearing.

Our office has special video equipment for Social Security Disability hearings.

Questions about your Work Comp case or need a Social Security Disability video hearing? Feel free to contact Illinois Attorney Dirk May at 309-827-4371.