Click above to read. Very interesting. Anyone run into some of these practices?
Settlements
What if I Get Hurt on a Work Trip?
In Illinois, getting hurt on a Work trip is usually a covered injury.
This includes being hurt in Illinois or outside the State.
The test is whether you were involved a reasonably foreseeable activity.
Some examples:
In an accident while driving to the destination;
Falling in a restaurant;
Getting hit by a car while walking across a street;
Being mugged;
or drowning in a hotel pool.
What about engaging in some recreational activity like motorcycle riding, or horseback riding?
I think that there is an argument to be made that it is reasonable to expect that someone may be involved in some type of outside activity while on a work trip.
However, the farther you get away from work activity and the daily routine the more problems you may have proving your case.
Questions about your Work Comp case? Feel free to contact Illinois Workers’ Compensation Attorney Dirk May at 309-827-4371.
Work Comp Settlement Tips
Of course you want to get the most value out of your settlement.
Things like restrictions increase the value of the case.
For example, do you have a permanent weight limitation?
Do you have limits on sitting?
Do you have limits on standing?
The Workers’ Compensation insurance company should have to pay extra money if you have any type of restriction.
Did you have to leave your former position and move to another position?
This adds value to your claim.
Did your wage decrease as a result of your injury?
This can dramatically increase your offer.
Does your injury keep you from working at all?
This results in permanent total disability.
The insurance company should increase your work comp settlement to reflect these limitations.
Questions about your offer? Feel free to call Illinois Work Comp Attorney Dirk May at 309-827-4371 to discuss.
Should I Settle?
Is the Workers’ Compensation settlement offer good enough?
Most of the time the insurance company will give you a low offer to start out.
You should make a counter demand after the first offer.
The insurance company will let you know when they will not go any higher.
At that point you should contact a lawyer and have them negotiate some more.
This will help you because you will get extra money, and the attorney fee will be limited to the amounts above your written offer from the Work Comp company.
Let me show you how this can negotiation approach can increase your Work Comp settlement.
Feel free to call Illinois Workers’ Compensation Attorney Dirk May at 309-827-4371.
What Should I Tell the Doctor?
Sometimes it is hard to figure out what the Arbitrator or the Work Comp insurance company is looking for in your Workers’ Compensation case.
Just remember, whatever shows up in the medical records is important.
Be sure you tell your doctor that you were injured at work and how it happened.
Also tell the doctor all the body parts that were injured.
For instance, if you lifted a box of material over your shoulder and felt a pop in your shoulder, then tell your doctor this.
If you felt immediate pain in the shoulder and a day later felt neck pain also, then tell the doctor.
Limitations you experience are also very important.
If you have daily back pain that runs down the leg and need to take a nap for an hour each day, then tell the doctor.
If you cannot lift more than 5 pounds and have weakness in the shoulder region, then tell your doctor.
You get the idea.
The more your complaints and limitations show up in the medical records, the more believable is your testimony.
Questions about ways to get the most out of your Work Comp settlement? Feel free to call Illinois Worker’ Compensation Attorney Dirk May at 309-827-4371.