When seeking to recover your losses from a job-related injury, calculating the costs of your injury is a key step in the recovery process. Until you know what you have lost (and what you will lose in the future), you simply will not be able to make informed decisions about protecting your legal rights.
In Illinois, workers’ compensation only covers a portion of the costs of a job-related injury. As a result, if you were hurt at work, it will be important to find out if you can file a personal injury claim in addition to filing a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. In most cases involving common workplace injuries, the costs injured workers can recover include the following:
Costs Covered by Workers’ Compensation
1. Medical Expenses
Workers’ compensation benefits include coverage for all necessary medical expenses resulting from your on-the-job injury. This includes emergency medical treatment as well as ongoing treatment and therapy.
2. Partial Wage Replacement
Disability benefits provide partial coverage for your loss of income while you are unable to work due to your injury. For most workers, this amounts to two thirds of their weekly wage, subject to a statutory maximum.
3. Vocational Rehabilitation or Retraining
If you need rehabilitation or retaining in order to return to work, these costs should be covered by your workers’ compensation benefits as well.
Costs Not Covered by Workers’ Compensation
1. Full Wage Replacement
If you are like most people, two thirds of your normal income is not enough. If you have a personal injury claim in addition to a claim for workers’ compensation benefits, you can seek full compensation for your lost income and benefits as well as compensation for your inability to work in the future.
2. Pain, Suffering and Emotional Trauma
Pain, suffering and emotional trauma are all considered “non-economic” costs of traumatic injuries. In a personal injury claim, you can recover financial compensation for these costs as well.
3. Scarring or Disfigurement
A personal injury claim can also provide compensation for the economic and non-economic costs of your scarring or disfigurement. This includes compensation for chronic pain, emotional trauma, and the embarrassment you experience as a result of your permanent condition.
4. Loss of Companionship and Enjoyment of Life
Job-related injuries can lead to various other non-economic costs as well. Costs that you may be able to recover in a personal injury claim (and which are not covered by workers’ compensation) include:
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of services
- Loss of society
5. Personal Property Damage
If you were injured in a vehicle collision or other accident resulting in personal property damage, this damage is yet another cost for which financial compensation is available.
Have You Been Injured on the Job in Chicago?
If you have been injured on the job in Chicago, our work injury lawyers can help you seek maximum compensation for your injury-related losses. To get started with a free and confidential consultation, please call (312) 795-9595 or send us your contact information today.