Settlements

Illinois Carpal Tunnel Syndrome cases are getting tougher.

Work Comp Insurance Companies can find doctors who will testify that your work does not contribute to or aggravate your carpal tunnel.

Their doctors will usually say that only heavy vibratory tools, or hand intensive jobs such as jack hammer operators, or meat cutters, or car mechanics can get carpal tunnel syndrome.

The only way to combat this is to find a doctor who will look at your work activities and testify that your job aggravates your carpal tunnel. This can be done, but you cannot give up.

If you are located in Bloomington, Peoria, Pontiac, Springfield, Decatur or Champaign, Illinois please call me to discuss your Illinois Workers Compensation case.

In Illinois Workers’ Compensation Law you can argue that your injury resulted in a loss of your occupation. And as a result you are entitled to an increased settlement amount.

This is different from a loss of wage earning power due to permanent restrictions.

A loss of occupation means that your injury resulted in a situation where you can no longer perform your old job, but you may not have suffered a loss in wage earning power. For instance, you can get another job at close to the same rate of pay.

An example is a person who injures his shoulder, and cannot keep working on a production line that involves overhead reaching. He finds another job at a similar wage. He could argue that the value of his case is worth more than a traditional shoulder injury because he had to find another line of work.

Contact me to discuss your Illinois Work Comp Case. I handle cases all over Illinois, including Bloomington, Peoria, Champaign, Springfield and Pontiac.

Predictions are well, unpredictable. But some things are a safe bet.

Here is what I see happening in Illinois Work Comp for 2010.

* Insurance Companies will not easily pay for your medical treatment. By far, medical expenses are the most costly part of a Workers Compensation case so the Insurance Companies will be diligent in keeping down costs.

* Work Comp insurance companies will not willingly pay a fair settlement. Insurance companies must make money for their stockholders. So their first offer will be low. You also need to make sure they are using the correct average weekly wage, the proper body part, and have paid all your medical bills.

* Work Comp will not speed up. For the most part the biggest delay is the time it takes to get a doctor’s deposition. Doctors are more interested in treating their patients (can’t blame them) then in giving testimony for a Workers’ Compensation case. Another part of the delay is that is that the Insurance company wants to hold onto their money as long as possible.

Questions about Illinois Work Comp settlements or cases? I handle cases throughout Illinois, and most often in Peoria, Bloomington, Pontiac, Springfield, and Champaign, Illinois. Please feel free to call me at 309-827-4371. Ask for Dirk.

Back injuries are tricky. Especially when you have had a surgery. No one can really predict what the future will hold for continued problems or the need for additional treatment.

That is why it is very important to think long and hard about whether you want to settle an operated back case in Illinois. Once you settle the case it is over. You may have future back problems and needs for treatment that will not be covered through Workers’ Compensation insurance.

If you are concerned about the future you need to think about having a trial to protect your ability to seek future medical treatment.

Illinois Workers’ Compensation trials are usually over in less than an hour. They take some work and time to prepare, however it may be well worth it to protect your rights in the future.

If you have questions about whether you need a trial for your work injury please call me, Bloomington, Illinois Work Comp Attorney Dirk May.