Illinois Counties File Lawsuit against local Doctors and Drug Companies for Opioid Crisis

http://www.pantagraph.com/herald-review/news/state-and-regional/pekin-cook-county-suburbs-file-opioid-lawsuit-against-pharma-companies/article_d586bb6c-4a11-511d-87af-be94089f9e30.html

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All kinds of problems have resulted from opioid abuse. A secondary issue will be how to address chronic pain. Many doctors will no longer prescribe opioids. Medical specialists still searching for answers on how to break cycle of pain for injured workers and the disabled.

Your Wages Make A Difference in Work Comp

In Illinois, the Workers’ Compensation Law bases awards and settlements on your wage.

Here is a quick example.

An McDonald’s employee injures his back and has the same surgery as a union worker at a manufacturing plant.

Both injured workers settle for 20 percent of the person. This means 100 weeks of benefits.

Assume the McDonald’s worker earns $10 per hour for 40 hours of work per week. $400 average weekly wage.

Assume the union worker earns $30 per hour for 40 hours of work per week.  $1200 average weekly wage.

The law provides the injured worker is entitled to 60 percent of the average weekly wage.

McDonald’s worker $400 times .6= $240 times 100 weeks of benefits= $24,000

Union worker $1200 times .6= $720 times 100 weeks of benefits= $72,000

Big difference in settlement with the same injury and surgery.

Questions about your work injury? Feel free to contact Illinois Work Injury Lawyer Dirk May at 309-827-4371.