The Illinois workers’ compensation system protects you, the worker, by ensuring you will be paid for any injuries that are related to an on-the-job accident. It is a speedy way to be compensated for your losses and permanent injury. Another advantage of workers’ compensation is that fault is not a factor. This means that even if you were partly to blame for the accident it will not affect the amount of money you are paid.
Illinois employers are required to have workers’ compensation insurance, which means that most employees are covered under federal or state workers’ compensation laws. Employers pay their insurance companies, much like we pay our health and car insurance companies, and they use this money to pay workers’ compensation benefits if and when the need arises.
Unless your employer is illegally uninsured, you most likely cannot sue your employer. This means that, in order to recover any sort of compensation, you will have to go through the workers’ compensation system. Workers’ compensation avoids lengthy and unpredictable lawsuits and allows you to begin receiving payments immediately.
Now that you know what workers’ compensation is, click through this guide to know the steps you will need to take next.
