Illinois Work Comp Attorney

Job Searches and Illinois Work Comp

Dirk May Help, Illinois Work Comp Attorney, Illinois Work Comp Lawyer, Settlements, Workers Compensation, Workers Compensation Commission

If you can no longer work in your old job, or you cannot work at all as a result of a work injury you must look for another job.

This greatly increases the value of your workers’ compensation case and leads to a much larger settlement than you would have received otherwise.

This because the law in Illinois and the courts have provided that the best way to prove loss of ability to work or reduced earning power is to perform a job search.

It is not easy to do this, but it is the best thing to do for your case.

You will have to put in effort and time to perform the job search.

This includes searching and applying online for jobs, applying in person, and going through interviews.

In some cases the insurance company will hire a vocational consultant to help you in the job search.

However, the majority of the work will have to come from you.

The best way to look at it is to take the long term view. It may take 6 the 12 months but the payoff in the end will be worth it because it shows you can no longer work or that you have to take a lower paid job.

In the event you find a job, then this makes it easy to determine your wage reduction as a result of the injury.

Make sure you consult with an experienced work comp lawyer to insure that you are getting the best settlement possible.

Questions about your work injury case? Feel free to contact Illinois Workers’ Compensation Attorney Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.

Back Injuries and Illinois Work Comp Cases

Dirk May Help, Illinois Work Comp Attorney, Illinois Work Comp Lawyer, Law, Workers Compensation

Whether it be from falls, lifting, or being struck with objects, back injuries are one of the leading injuries in Illinois Workers’ Compensation cases.

If you suffer a back injury you should be aware how to help your case and maximize your settlement.

The first thing you should do after hurting your back is to file an accident report with your employer as soon as possible.

The injury report will detail how you hurt yourself, the time, date and place of accident, and body parts injured and any witnesses. You should also notify your supervisor. This will protect you from your employer claiming the injury did not happen at work.

The next step is to make sure you get medical attention. The sooner the better. You must tell all medical personnel that your injury happened at work, explain how it happened, and describe all body parts injured. Failing to seek medical treatment promptly and failing to tell staff how that you were injured at work will damage your case. The insurance company may argue that you are not seriously injured because you have not seen a doctor immediately, or that you were not injured at work if it is not described in the records.

You should also treat with a doctor consistently and follow treatment recommendations. Once again this shows the seriousness of your injury and that you are not the cause of any additional problems because you did not follow doctor’s orders.

You must also follow your doctor’s restrictions. Some insurance companies will send an investigator to follow the injured worker and attempt to video tape them doing things that show that their back injury is not severe. Of course, this will seriously reduce the value of their case.

Questions about your Workers’ Compensation injury? Feel free to contact Illinois Work Comp Attorney Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.

When Should I Get A Work Comp Attorney?

Dirk May Help, Illinois, Illinois Work Comp Attorney, Illinois Work Comp Lawyer, Insurance, Law, Settlements, Workers Compensation, Workers Compensation Commission

It is always a good idea to get your attorney involved in the Illinois Workers’ Compensation process as soon as possible.

This protects you from damaging your case and makes sure that you maximize your settlement.

If you wait too long, then a lawyer may not be able to help you.

For instance, an experienced Work Comp lawyer can help you deal with the insurance company from the beginning and prevent mistakes that you may not be able to recover from.

Using a lawyer signals to the insurance company that you are serious and that they will not be able to take advantage of you.

You will definitely need a lawyer if the insurance company is low balling you or denying your claim. Your lawyer will be able to get you into court and prepare your for the hearing before the arbitrator. The lawyer will explain the questions you be asked and the evidence you will need.

The ideal situation is to go to an experienced Illinois Work Comp lawyer and get immediate assistance with filing your application, getting the medical records and bills and medical testimony, and preparing you for the hearing questions. This gives you the best shot at winning and getting the best settlement possible.

There are no attorney fees unless you win, and they are paid at the time you receive your money so this makes it much easier to get a lawyer to help you.

Questions about your Illinois work injury? Feel free to contact Illinois Workers’ Compensation Attorney Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.

Illinois Work Comp and the Future

Dirk May Help, Illinois Work Comp Attorney, Illinois Work Comp Lawyer, Workers Compensation, Workers Compensation Commission

Rumors are flying surrounding what will happen with Illinois Workers’ Compensation.

The recent election for Governor of Illinois will certainly bring some changes that will affect Workers’ Compensation cases.

The Governor elect is seen as a fiscal conservative who will favor business and insurance interests.

Major changes dealing with the primary cause of the work injury and relying solely on AMA guidelines for settlement value will need legislative approval. This means the democrat controlled House and Senate will need to agree with the Governor to pass anything this drastic.

The biggest change in the beginning will come in personnel.

The Commission will be under new leadership, and the Governor will have the authority to appoint new arbitrators and Commissioners.

The Chairman of the Commission will most likely send the message to Arbitrators and Commissioners that case values should be lower, and that decisions regarding connection between the the injury and medical treatment must tilt in favor of the employer.

Strictly speaking the Arbitrators and Commissioners are free to do what they want. However, it is naive to think that they will not respond in a way that is favorable to the Governor because they want to be reappointed.

What this means for the injured worker is lower settlements and tougher stances on cases with problems.

Questions about your work comp case? Feel free to contact Illinois Workers’ Compensation Attorney Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.

Illinois Work Comp and Making the Right Decision

Dirk May Help, Illinois Work Comp Attorney, Illinois Work Comp Lawyer, Settlements, Workers Compensation

A big part of life is making good decisions.

It is often difficult to make the proper decision in a Workers’ Compensation case for several reasons.

You may be too invested because it is your injury and it is difficult to separate emotion from rationale behavior.

You may have many people giving you advice who do not know the facts or who are manipulating you.

You may not understand the Illinois Workers’ Compensation system and the way it works.

Whatever the reason it is important to have balanced information that will help you understand what is the best outcome for you.

Expecting to recover half a million dollars is unrealistic. Most Work Comp cases settle in the range from $1000 to $100,000 depending on your wage and the severity of your injury. Family or friends who are telling you otherwise are not helping.

You need to know the weaknesses of your case. If you go trial and the problems of your case may lead to you getting zero, then you need to think carefully before turning down an offer.

Relying on the insurance company to tell you the truth and look out for your interests is not a good idea.

Where can you get the information you need?

Make sure that you talk with an experienced Illinois Workers’ Compensation Attorney. Any fee is based on your recovery of money.

Feel free to contact Illinois Work Comp Attorney Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.