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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.

Top Tips for Social Security Disability

Dirk May Help, Illinois Social Security Disability Attorney, Illinois Social Security Disability Lawyer, Social Security, Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income

Social Security Disability cases are getting harder and harder to win.

Because of this you must do everything possible to make sure that your case is as strong as it can be.

The key to almost any Social Security Disability case is your medical treatment and medical records.

You must prove that you have limitations that keep you from working any job in most cases, and when you are over age 50 you have to prove you cannot do past work and are limited to at best to a sit down job.

As a result, it is very important that you tell your doctors about your serious problems and how they limit you around the house because you want this to show up in your medical records when the Administrative Law Judge reviews them.

For instance, you should explain any problems you have with walking, standing, lifting and sitting. Such as, I can only walk 1 block because of the arthritis in my legs.

Other areas to focus on are the need to elevate your legs because of swelling and pain. Problems with focus and concentration because of chronic pain or depression. Problems reaching, handling, fingering and gripping because of numbness, tingling, pain in the hands or arms.

Information like this in your medical records supports your testimony at the disability hearing and is crucial to winning your case.

Question about your case? Feel free to contact Illinois Social Security Disability Attorney Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.

When Does It Make Sense to Settle Your Work Comp Case?

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

The most important aspect of your Illinois Workers’ Compensation Case is knowing when to settle your case.

Like the old song goes “you gotta know when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em”.

Or as it was said in an Indiana Jones movie “choose wisely”.

I have seen people make bad choices because they were either greedy or they thought someone owed them something, or because they felt like they were being treated unfairly.

There is another old saying “hogs get slaughtered; pigs get fed”.

Another thing to remember: the law is not perfect. It is not made to resolve every injury perfectly. There were a number of trade offs made in passing the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act. The result is an imperfect law with imperfect remedies for imperfect people.

I once had a law school professor who emphasized with a passion that the law is not fair.

If you are looking for fairness you will not find it in the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act.

You must make the best settlement possible considering the law and the facts in your case.

Do not make a risky bet a perceived high dollar outcome and let a good settlement in hand get away.

Going to trial in a high risk case to get lots of money is foolish and usually results in bitter disappointment when you receive a minimal value or zero verdict.

You should consult with an experienced Illinois Workers’ Compensation Attorney to discuss your case. Feel free to contact attorney Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.

Social Security Disability and the Application Process

Dirk May Help, Illinois Social Security Disability Attorney, Illinois Social Security Disability Lawyer, Social Security, Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income, Your questions

Social Security Disability is not a well known or easily understood process.

Not many people understand it because the government does not advertise that the benefits are available and some of the Social Security employees are not extremely helpful.

You can walk into a local Social Security office and apply for benefits or call and schedule a telephone appointment.

However, Social Security prefers you to file your disability application online.

You do this through the Social Security website.

The website is not easy to use and it is difficult to understand why certain questions are being asked and how the answers may fit in to deciding whether you found disabled or not.

The process is also very long.

In Central Illinois it is taking up to 6 months for Social Security to review your initial application.

If you are denied at the initial stage you must appeal if you want to move on. The second stage may also take up to 6 months.

If you are denied at the second stage, then you must appeal again to have a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge.

It is taking approximately 12 months to get the hearing before a Judge in Illinois.

It is a frustrating and mysterious process to go through without someone to help you.

An experienced Social Security Attorney can help you from start to finish, including filing the application, helping you answer the written questions Social Security sends to you, and helping you prepare to answer the Judge’s questions.

Need help? Feel free to contact Illinois Social Security Disability lawyer Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.

When Should I Get a Work Comp Lawyer?

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

The best time to get a Workers’ Compensation lawyer involved in your work injury case is early in the process.

It helps you because there are many things the lawyer can do to strengthen and protect your case from the onset of your work accident.

Illinois Workers’ Compensation lawyers cannot charge any retainer or hourly fees. So it is to your advantage to hire a lawyer early in the process. The lawyer can only charge 20 percent of the amount they collect for you.

The lawyer will guide you in reporting your injury as quickly as possible to your employer.

You will also be reminded to seek medical treatment right away and provide a clear and complete description of your injuries and your work accident to your doctors.

The lawyer will also tell you to continue with consistent medical treatment until you reach maximum medical improvement.

Your Work Comp lawyer will negotiate a fair settlement for you or help you prepare for a trial before the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Arbitrator.

The quickest way to reach the best settlement for you is to have a lawyer who is ready to push the case forward through taking depositions of your doctor and who is ready to show the insurance company that you are prepared to go to trial.

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