Chicago Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

Hurt at work? We help injured workers get paid.

The Chicago workers’ compensation lawyers at Martay Law Office have helped over 20,000 injured employees in Illinois. We’re here to make sure injured workers like you get paid. When you’re hurt on the job in Chicago, workers’ compensation benefits can help you get the money you need to pay for necessary medical treatments, a portion of your lost wages, and medical equipment, medications, and supplies. 

  • 100+ Years of Experience
  • 97% Success Rate
  • FREE Legal Advice
  • No Recovery, No Fee
  • If You Can’t Come to Us, We’ll Come to You

Call Martay Law Office at 312-372-9022.

GET A FREE CASE REVIEW

 

How Our Work Injury Attorneys Can Help You

Our workers’ comp attorneys will explain your legal rights and help you understand how the claim process works from the beginning. We will gather evidence, assist you in completing and submitting documents, and help make sure you meet important deadlines. If the insurance company denies your claim, we will help you file an appeal.

When you hire our attorneys to handle your case, we will:

Gather Evidence

Although you don’t need to prove that your employer was negligent to receive workers’ comp benefits, you will need to show that your accident happened during the course of your work. We’ll gather photos, videos, and witness statements to use as evidence. 

Handle the Insurance Company

Our workers’ compensation lawyers are trained negotiators, and we have decades of experience dealing with insurance companies. We’ll negotiate with your employer’s insurer to secure maximum compensation on your behalf. 

Help You Get Medical Treatment

You have the right to choose your medical provider after a workplace injury, but selecting the right doctor for your condition can be a challenge. Our law firm is familiar with top healthcare providers in Chicago. We will help you obtain quality medical treatment while you wait for your claim to process. 

Represent You at Your Hearing

If our claim is denied or negotiations are not successful, your case may go to trial. Our lawyers will present evidence to the Court and advocate on your behalf to ensure your rights are protected, and you receive the compensation you deserve. 

Put over 100 years of combined experience to work for you. Call the workers’ compensation lawyers at Martay Law Office at 312-372-9022. Consultations are free. 

What Is Illinois Workers’ Compensation?

Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance that is carried by your employer. It is designed to be a safety net for workers who are hurt on the job. Nearly all employers in Illinois are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance policies that cover lost wages and medical treatment for their employees. When you are injured at work, and we take legal action, we are doing so against the workers’ compensation insurance company, not your employer.

Unlike personal injury lawsuits, which require victims to prove to the judge or jury that the other party’s negligence caused the injuries, workers’ compensation is a no-fault system.  We won’t need to prove that the workplace accident was caused by your employer. We simply need to show that it happened during the course of your employment.  

Since the Illinois Workers’ Compensation system is a no-fault wage-replacement system, it stands to reason that injured workers like you should receive these benefits without issue. Unfortunately, that isn’t typically how it works. 

People who get hurt at work are often forced to jump through hoops to obtain fair settlements. Medical bills start to pile up, savings accounts dwindle away, and before long it becomes difficult to pay for regular monthly expenses. Without experienced legal representation, cases continue to drag out for months and even years. People lose their homes. Their cars get repossessed. And meanwhile, their conditions worsen. 

 

Your Rights as an Injured Worker in Illinois

If you are an employee who was hurt on the job, you have rights under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act. In fact, there are a variety of benefits that are designed to help you while you recover. 

  • You have the right to report your injury without fear of retaliation from your employer. 
  • You have the right to receive necessary medical treatment for your work-related injuries. 
  • Your employer may be required to pay all medical costs related to your workplace accident.
  • You may be entitled to receive compensation for permanent injuries you incurred while performing activities in the course of your employment.
  • You may be entitled to receive a portion of your average weekly wage if you are unable to return to work right away. 
  • You have the right to hire a workers’ compensation attorney to assist you with your claim.

 

How Employee Status Can Impact a Work Injury Case

Although most workers in the state are covered under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act, some types of workers must pursue other types of claims or lawsuits to recover for their on the job injuries. 

Independent Contractors

As the gig economy continues to grow, an increasing number of people in Chicago have started working as independent contractors who are not generally covered by workers’ compensation. The line between working as a contractor or an employee is often blurry, however. Our workers’ compensation attorneys can evaluate your work status to determine whether you are classified as an employee or a contractor. If you are not covered under Illinois workers’ compensation laws, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover for your on the job injuries. 

Chicago Police and Firefighters

Chicago firefighters and police officers are not covered under the Illinois workers’ compensation system. Instead, they can recover work injury benefits by filing a claim with the Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago. There are three types of work injury benefits offered to Chicago police, but injured workers can only claim one type. 

  • Ordinary Disability Benefits
  • Duty Disability Benefits
  • Occupational Disease Benefits

Railroad Workers, Seamen, and Other Specialized Workers

There are job-specific federal acts that provide work injury benefits for railroad workers, seamen, and workers in some other specialized occupations. 

Common Workplace Injuries in Chicago

While some injuries like pulled muscles and sprains are common, they are temporary and usually heal on their own. More serious injuries, however, require expensive medical treatment and can disrupt an employee’s ability to work for an extended period of time. In some cases, medical treatment is ongoing and workers are never able to return to their jobs. In the most severe accidents, workers lose their lives. 

In Chicago, industry is as diverse as the people who work and live in the community. As such, employees suffer a wide range of injuries at work. 

Common Fatal Workplace Injuries

Transportation Accidents

Most work-related fatality accidents happen in transportation incidents in Illinois. Over the years, the number of worker deaths caused by transportation incidents has skyrocketed. In 2017, the BLS reports that 61 workers were killed in accidents involving motor vehicles.

Slips, Trips, and Falls

Injuries from falls accounted for 27 worker fatalities in Illinois in 2017. While falls from heights pose the most significant threat, people suffer deadly head and neck injuries in same-level falls as well. 

Contact with Objects or Equipment

The third-most frequent work-related fatality event in Illinois is getting struck by objects or equipment. This type of incident accounted for 23 worker deaths in 2017. 

Exposure to Hazardous Substances

Dangerous substances and hazardous materials are common in Chicago factories. Unfortunately, they can also be deadly. The number of workers who died after becoming exposed to hazardous substances in Illinois has nearly doubled in recent years. 

Common Non-Fatal Injuries in the Workplace

Back and Neck Injuries

Heavy lifting, falls, and poor ergonomics cause thousands of Illinois workers to suffer severe back and neck injuries while working. These injuries often result in lost time from work, surgeries, medications, and physical therapy. In the most severe cases, people with back and neck injuries suffer permanent disabilities. 

Repetitive Use Injuries

Prolonged use of muscles and joints can cause painful injuries from the repetitive stress workers place on their bodies. Carpal tunnel syndrome, which is often caused when workers use their hands in the same ways day after day, is a good example. 

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Falls on the job, work-related motor vehicle accidents, and getting struck by objects cause workers in Illinois to suffer traumatic brain injuries. When accidents are severe, a TBI can leave a worker disabled for life. 

Where Workplace Injuries Happen in Illinois 

Workers in all industries are at risk of becoming injured on the job. However, some industries are more dangerous than others. 

Construction Industry

Approximately one in five workplace fatalities happen in the construction industry. Falls cause about half of workplace deaths on construction sites. Approximately 10% of construction deaths are caused by electrocutions. Another 10% are a result of workers getting struck by falling objects. Exposure to dust, hazardous chemicals, and dangerous substances like asbestos cause workers in the construction industry to become seriously injured as well. 

Factories

With an abundance of food processing, manufacturing, and distribution center factories in Chicagoland, it’s no surprise that so many workplace injuries happen to warehouse, manufacturing and production workers. Many of these workers are exposed to extreme climates, malfunctioning equipment, automated machinery, and dangerous substances on a daily basis. 

Hospitals and Nursing Homes

Nurses and other healthcare professionals are exposed to a wide range of hazardous conditions and dangerous situations on the job. These workers are no stranger to lifting, pushing, or pulling heavy patients and equipment. They are often exposed to blood-borne pathogens, contaminated supplies, and contagious disease. And if they can get through the day without suffering injuries from those exposures, they often still have to handle violent patients, visitors, and even coworkers. 

Third-Party Liability for Workplace Accidents 

While workers in Illinois are generally prohibited from filing personal injury lawsuits against their employers, workers’ compensation may not be your only remedy when you are hurt on the job. If the negligent behavior of another party contributed to your workplace accident, our workers’ compensation lawyers can help you recover compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. 

When you sue a third party for your injuries, the money you receive is in addition to the compensation you get through workers’ compensation. Additionally, filing a third-party injury claim can help you recover compensation for pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and even punitive damages. These damages are not available through the Illinois workers’ compensation system. 

Examples of Workplace Accidents Involving Third Parties Include: 

  • Work-related car accidents
  • Incidents involving defective products or machinery
  • Injuries caused by contractors on your job site

What to Do if You Are Hurt on the Job 

Although workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, benefits for injured workers are not automatic. If you get hurt at work, you must follow specific steps to ensure your claim gets paid. 

  • Notify your employer of your injury right away. Workers’ comp claims are time-sensitive. Failing to report your injury to your employer could result in the loss of your benefits.
  • Seek medical attention even if you don’t think your injury is serious. For medical emergencies, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. For other types of injuries, work with your employer to see if there is a dedicated medical provider for workplace injury claims, or make an appointment with your doctor as soon as you can.
  • Follow the advice of your medical providers. If your doctor says you cannot return to work, be sure to get it in writing.
  • Call our workers’ compensation attorneys for a FREE case evaluation. Providing workers’ compensation benefits is your employer’s duty. Making sure you get paid is ours. 

Choose the Right Workers’ Comp Lawyer for Your Case

The attorney you choose to represent you in your workers’ compensation case can make all the difference in whether you receive maximum benefits, you accept a low settlement offer, or you walk away empty-handed.  Choose an attorney with little or no experience in Illinois workers’ compensation law, and missed deadlines, omitted medical evidence, or other claims mistakes could cost you your case. Work with the experienced work injury lawyers at Martay Law Office, however, and we’ll increase your chances of securing benefits and help you make the most of your claim.