Workers’ Compensation

Job Injury Lawyers Assisting Employees in Schaumburg, Wheaton, and Surrounding Areas

Unfortunately, each year, a number of people are hurt and even killed in on-the-job accidents in Illinois. If you have suffered an injury or illness due to a workplace incident, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. At Therman Law Offices, our Wheaton and Schaumburg workers’ compensation attorneys can examine the facts of your case and determine the full scope of your legal options. With more than 35 years of combined experience, we have diligently helped Cook County residents resolve a variety of legal matters, and we can help you as well. We can assist you if you need a construction accident attorney or guidance in another type of work injury claim.

Pursuing a Claim for Workers’ Compensation Benefits

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, nearly 5,000 workers nationally were killed on the job in 2015. Of the total workplace fatalities that occurred, about 21.4 percent were in the construction industry. Some of the main hazards for workers included falls, being struck by objects, electrocutions, and being caught in between equipment, objects, or collapsing structures. In the same year, there were also approximately 2.9 million non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers.

Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance that pays monetary benefits, such as medical expenses and lost wages, to employees who become injured, ill, or disabled during the course of their employment. The insurance policy is paid entirely by the employer and is free for the employee. Workers’ compensation is an “exclusive remedy,” which means that these benefits are typically the only recourse that is available to an employee who is hurt on the job. In other words, an injured worker may not sue their employer after an on-the-job injury unless certain limited exceptions apply. For example, if an employee’s injuries resulted from an intentional act by the employer, the employee may be able to sue.

However, it may be appropriate to bring an additional personal injury claim if a third party, rather than the employer, caused the worker’s injury. In these cases, the injured worker may typically sue the third party on a negligence theory. A negligence claim is appropriate when a worker’s injury was caused by a third party’s failure to exercise the proper care in their actions. Our workers’ compensation lawyers can assist Schaumburg and Wheaton residents with determining whether they should pursue a third-party claim in addition to benefits.

Workplace injuries range in severity. In some cases, the injury is mild, and the worker may return to work shortly afterward. In other cases, the injury may be long-term or even permanent. Depending on the extent of their harm, the injured worker may be entitled to various types of benefits, such as temporary disability benefits, permanent total disability benefits, or permanent partial disability benefits. Other types of benefits may be available to families who have lost a loved one in a fatal workplace accident.

Discuss Your Situation with a Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Schaumburg or Wheaton

Workplace accidents may have serious and long-term consequences for a victim. If you have been hurt or developed an illness due to an incident or event that took place while you were working, you have rights to assert. Our Wheaton and Schaumburg workers’ compensation lawyers can advocate for you at every step of the way. We proudly represent people in many Cook County communities, such as Norwood Park, Edison Park, Harwood Heights, Norridge, Elmwood Park, Park Ridge, Des Plaines, Rosemont, Elk Grove Village, Mt. Prospect, Arlington Heights, Hoffman Estates, Streamwood, and Elgin. Our firm has offices in Schaumburg, Wheaton, and near O’Hare Airport. To set up a free appointment, call 312-588-1900 or contact us online. Therman Law Offices also can assist you if you need a car crash lawyer or representation in another type of personal injury claim.