A head injury on the job can throw off your health and your paycheck in one shift. Choose Charlie because we have worked with more than 6,000 work injury victims, and your Lake County workers’ compensation lawyer can step in right away to set up treatment approvals and wage replacement.
If you are ready to act, your head injury workers’ comp lawyer in Lake County at Therman Law can file the right forms and meet deadlines so your benefits start sooner.
Accidents That Commonly Lead to Head Injuries at Work
Some workdays change in a moment. Head injuries often start with routine tasks that turn risky, like a hurried delivery or a missed rung on a ladder. Wet floors can turn a short walk into a fall that sends you to urgent care.
Motor Vehicle Crashes and Collisions on the Job
People who drive for work face daily hazards in traffic. Company vans and box trucks see sudden stops that lead to rear-end or intersection crashes, and a hard hit can throw your head forward, while shifting cargo knocks you off balance.
Save the basics, if you can, such as photos of the vehicles and the loading area. Note the delivery address or route number to link the trip to work. With those details, your Lake County personal injury lawyer from Therman Law can connect the collision to your job and help keep your benefits moving.
Falls at Construction Sites or Workplaces
Falls remain a leading source of head trauma on job sites. A slip on a wet floor or grease can send you down hard, and a drop from a ladder or scaffold can cause a direct strike to your head.
Report the hazard right away and ask for a copy of the incident report. Quick photos of the spill and a damaged hard hat can help show what forces were involved. If the fall involved a scaffold, note the contractor in charge or the tag on the frame so liability is clearer.
Forklifts and Warehouse Traffic Incidents
Aisles can be tight, and stacked pallets block sight lines. A forklift reversing around a corner can strike you, and a raised load can swing into your head. Order pickers and powered pallet jacks create the same danger in busy bays.
Record the aisle marker and the equipment number on the chassis. Note whether the horn sounded before the turn and whether blue spotlights or mirrors were in place. Photographs of the rack scrape and the floor marks help show where contact likely occurred.
Power Tools, Machines, and Tool Kickback
A circular saw can bind and jump. A nail gun can double fire and send a fastener toward your face shield. Missing guards or worn handles make loss of control more likely.
Set the tool aside and keep the blade or fastener. Write down the model and serial number from the manufacturer’s label. Take a photo of the guard position, then ask maintenance for the last service log.
How Head Injuries Affect Victims in Workers’ Comp Cases
A head injury can change how you heal and how you work. The symptoms and your treatment plan influence the benefits you can receive and how long they should last. Here are common effects you may be dealing with:
- Memory gaps and slowed processing
- Trouble with speech or finding words
- Mood swings or irritability
- Balance problems or dizziness
- Light sensitivity or noise sensitivity
- Chronic headaches or migraines
- Vision changes or eye strain
- Fatigue or sleep disruption
- Ongoing therapy and rehab visits
- Work limits that reduce lifting or driving
Workers’ comp must consider long-term effects, beyond your first clinic visit. Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act, including 820 ILCS 305/8, benefits can cover medical care and partial wage loss, and your head injury workers’ comp attorney in Lake County can make sure the award accounts for documented restrictions and ongoing therapy.
Legal Options if You Suffered a Head Injury in Lake County
Workers’ comp is designed to cover your medical care and part of your wages after a workplace head injury. Start by reporting the injury to your employer and filing a claim so treatment bills can be routed to the insurer instead of your savings. If a subcontractor or a careless driver caused the impact, you may also have a separate third-party case that can add damages the workers’ comp system does not cover.
Compensation for Medical and Rehabilitation Costs
Workers’ comp should pay for reasonable and necessary treatment tied to your head injury, including emergency care and specialist visits. Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act, including 820 ILCS 305/6, employers must secure coverage that pays required benefits, so delays in authorizations or bills going to you should be challenged promptly.
Rehab often lasts longer after a concussion or traumatic brain injury. Keep appointment records, provider notes, and simple logs of symptoms so the carrier sees why continued therapy is medically necessary and not optional care.
Establishing Negligence in Head Injury Cases
When a third party contributes to the injury, fault matters. Think of a general contractor that ignored a site rule or a delivery driver who ran a light. Those facts can support a civil claim on top of workers’ comp. In that situation, a construction accident lawyer in Lake County from our firm can gather video, route data, and witness statements to link the conduct to your harm.
Illinois sets a two-year deadline for many personal injury suits, and 735 ILCS 5/13-202 controls that timing. Filing the comp claim does not stop that civil clock, so tracking both timelines protects your benefits and preserves your chance to recover additional losses.
Contact a Lake County Head Injury Workers’ Comp Lawyer Today
After a workplace head injury, fast action protects your benefits and keeps your care on schedule. With your Lake County head injury workers’ comp attorney from Therman Law, you can secure treatment approvals and document lost time before records are misplaced.
If you want help today, you can contact us to set a quick call so your benefits start sooner.
