The Importance of Hiring an Attorney for Your Workers’ Compensation Case

 Posted on November 02, 2018 in Workers' Compensation

While every business that employs workers in the state of Illinois is required to follow Illinois’ workers’ compensation laws, many businesses and their insurers will try to fight against paying an injured worker just compensation. Companies looking to resist making large workers’ compensation payments routinely engage in disputes with injured employees about whether the injury occurred in the course and scope of employment and the extent of the injury. If you suffer an injury in the workplace, it is important to contact a quality legal representative as soon as possible. 

Types of Workers’ Compensation Payments 

When a workplace injury occurs, Illinois law states that the employer is responsible for compensating the injured employee for the loss of work hours, medical expenses, and disability payments. The amount an employer must pay can depend on a number of issues, including the severity of the initial injury and the duration of persisting symptoms. 

The types of disability payments an injured employee is eligible to receive will fall into one of two categories:

Temporary Disability Payments: If an injury is fairly minor, and the employee can return to work, but they are unable to earn their previous level of income, the employee is usually granted Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) payments. These payments will offer the injured party benefits throughout their recovery process and make up for a portion of the income lost due to the injury. 

If a worker suffers a workplace injury that makes them unable to work on a temporary basis, they will usually earn Temporary Total Disability (TTD) benefits. These payments will make up approximately 67% of the income they could earn if they were working at their previous capacity. 

Permanent Disability Payments: Workers with more severe injuries that come with chronic symptoms are usually eligible for one of two other types of workers’ compensation benefits: Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) or Permanent Total Disability (PTD) payments. PPD payments are granted when an employee is permanently impacted by the injury but can still continue to work. In most cases, the injured worker will be compensated for all medical expenses due to the injury while also receiving a monetary award based on the body part that was injured and their level of impairment. 

PTD payments are the most essential workers’ compensation payments to secure, because they are necessary for workers that are no longer able to work due to the injury they suffer. If an injured worker is granted PTD benefits, they will receive lifetime disability payments from the company involved and their insurer. 

Contact a Plainfield Workers’ Comp Lawyer 

If you have been injured in the workplace, receiving workers’ compensation benefits can make all the difference in ensuring your family has a secure and vibrant financial future. The only way to truly guarantee that you and your family receive the compensation you deserve is by hiring an attorney you can believe in. Attorney Daniel Flaherty works to ensure that his clients receive the workers’ compensation benefits they are entitled to. To set up a free consultation with a knowledgeable Will County workers’ compensation attorney, call our office today at 815-577-7500. 

Sources:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2430&ChapAct=820%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%C2%A0ILCS%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%C2%A0305/&ChapterID=68&ChapterName=EMPLOYMENT&ActName=Workers%27+Compensation+Act.