The Basics of Workers’ Compensation

Because Illinois is a no-fault state, individuals injured in workplace accidents are eligible for benefits even if their actions contributed to or caused the accident. Additionally, you do not need to be concerned about your job security when filing a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. It is your right to apply and it is illegal for employers to discriminate against you for exercising your right.

There are four types of disability categories in Illinois. These categories determine the financial amount to be given and the duration of payments for occupational injuries.

1. Temporary Total Disability (TTD) refers to the temporary period an injured worker is unable to return to work
2. Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) refers to the temporary period an injured worker is still recovering yet is working light duty and earning less than in the pre-injury job
3. Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) refers to an employee permanently unable to perform the same actions as prior to the occupational injury
   Permanent Total Disability (PTD) refers to a situation where an employee is permanently unable to work due to permanent and complete disability

The lawyers at our firm are committed to helping clients secure the workers’ compensation benefits they deserve through filing a claim or through appealing a denial of an initial claim. From construction accidents to carpal tunnel, our attorneys are committed to protecting our clients’ rights.

Some of our recent successes include:

A $175,000 workers’ compensation settlement for a tool and die maker’s back injuries

A permanent total disability award — which provides compensation for the rest of a victim’s life — for a carpenter who suffered severe back and leg injuries in a construction accident
Obtaining benefits for a child born after the death of her father, an undocumented alien worker, in a job-related accident

A $210,000 settlement for a forklift driver with an arm injury that prevented him from continuing in the same job