Many employees in Joliet are provided workers’ compensation benefits under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act. The types of benefits afforded to them under the Act include medical care and death benefits, as well as compensation for the disability that an employee suffers due to their workplace injuries.

Those who can effectively establish eligibility could receive benefits for their injuries by filing a claim with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC) with the aid of a dedicated workers’ compensation attorney. If you are seeking to obtain workers’ compensation benefits in Joliet, a lawyer with experience handling these claims could assist you with filing and arguing your case before the IWCC.

Determining Eligibility to Receive Workman’s Comp Benefits in Illinois

Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act, codified at 820 Illinois Compiled Statutes 305, an employee injured while working might be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits in Joliet if they can effectively prove that the injuries they sustained arose out of their employment. The burden of proof will rest solely with the worker and, in some cases, could be difficult to prove without the aid of a lawyer.

In addition to this, an injured worker must also be prepared to counter any disputes their employer may bring to avoid having to pay out benefits. A few of the issues that employers commonly dispute include:

The existence of an actual employment relationship with the worker
Whether the Workers’ Compensation Act applied to the employer at the time of the accident
Whether the worker provided a timely notice of the accident

To sufficiently determine their eligibility for benefits, an injured employee must prove all of the above.

Categories of Benefits Available in a Workers’ Compensation Claim

In Illinois, the state’s Workers’ Compensation Act provides benefits to members of the workforce for the losses they suffer due to their work-related injuries. The compensatory benefits workers could receive for injuries arising out of and in the course of employment fall into the following categories:

Medical benefits (payments for hospital and therapy expenses)
Temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits
Temporary total disability (TTD) benefits
Permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits
Permanent total disability (PTD) benefits
Vocational rehabilitation and maintenance benefits (for when an injury requires someone to seek out another job)
Death benefits (paid to the surviving family)

Although an employee in Joliet could receive workers’ compensation benefits for their occupational injuries from one or more benefit categories, they must first establish their eligibility for benefits by filing a claim with their employer or the IWCC. Additionally, while the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act provides the above-listed benefit categories to employees, the benefits are paid by employers through their workers’ accident compensation insurance.

Consult an Attorney Today to Seek Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Joliet

Injuries may frequently occur in the course of one’s employment, particularly when an individual’s job is in an occupational field that is hazardous by nature, such as logging or construction. While the number of employees injured on the job every year may be substantial, only a small portion qualify for workers’ compensation. Because the process to effectively file a claim can be difficult to do independently, an injured employee may be pressured to hastily reach a settlement agreement with their employer, resulting in an unfavorable workman’s comp benefits award.

If you are suffering from serious accidental injuries recently incurred while on the job, you need not pursue your claim on your own. Contact a lawyer today to learn more about obtaining workers’ compensation benefits in Joliet through the legal system.