Category: Injuries and Accidents

Each year, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cites thousands of employers for workplace safety violations. State authorities (including the Illinois Department of Labor) take action against employers across the country who put their workers at risk as well. Unfortunately, these safety violations often result in serious injuries and occupational illnesses, and many workers are never able to fully-recover from the effects of their injuries and diseases. If you have been injured in the workplace, contact a skilled Chicago work injury lawyer right away to discuss your legal options. What are your rights if you suffer harm due to a workplace safety violation? In short, it depends. If your employer was at fault, your remedies may be limited to claiming workers’ compensation benefits. Under Illinois’s workers’ compensation system, employees typically cannot sue their employers for job-related injuries and illnesses. However, there are exceptions to this general rule; and, if a third-party is to blame for your medical condition (or if you are not eligible for workers’ compensation), you may be able to seek full compensation for your injury or illness resulting from a workplace safety violation. 10 Most Common “Serious” Workplace Safety Violations According to OSHA’s data, companies commit tens of thousands of “serious” safety violations each year. This includes thousands of repeat violations. OSHA defines a serious violation as, “one in which there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result, and the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.” The 10 […]

Read More | Share:

If you were recently injured in a car accident that was someone else’s fault, you are entitled to seek full compensation for all of your injury-related losses. This includes not only your outstanding medical bills, but your future medical expenses (which could be far greater than what you owe currently), your lost earnings and earning capacity, your pain and suffering, and various other forms of financial and non-financial harm. In fact, most car accident victims are only aware of a small portion of the losses they are entitled to recover. It is not until they speak with a personal injury attorney that they understand the full extent of their claim for compensation. With this in mind, if you have suffered injuries in car accident in Chicago, here are some important tips for maximizing your financial recovery: Tip #1: See a Doctor After any type of accident, the single most important thing you can do is to see a doctor as soon as possible. Do not assume you are okay, and do not try to diagnose and treat your own injuries. You need a medical professional to assess the physical impact of the crash, and you need to make sure you have a treatment plan that puts you on the road to a full recovery. Tip #2: Keep Everything From the other driver’s insurance information to any photos you took with your phone, keep everything you have from the scene of the accident. As you accumulate medical bills, keep copies so […]

Read More | Share:

Getting injured in an accident at work can turn your life upside down. If you are unable to work during your recovery, you will need to figure out a way to pay your medical bills and monthly expenses. Filing for workers’ compensation can provide some financial relief, but these benefits will not cover all of your injury-related losses. If you have been injured at work, there are important steps you need to take to protect your right to financial compensation. You may be entitled to additional compensation beyond workers’ comp, but you will need to avoid these common mistakes in order to maximize your financial recovery: Mistake #1: Not Reporting the Accident to Your Employer After suffering an injury on the job, one of your first steps should be to report the accident to your employer. Not only is this a requirement to file for workers’ compensation; but, if you fail to report the accident, this can also make it more difficult to prove that your injuries are work-related. Mistake #2: Not Seeking Medical Treatment Promptly In Illinois, you are entitled to see your own doctor for treatment of your work-related injuries. You should see a doctor promptly; and, if you do not know where to go, you should seek a referral and not rely solely on medical advice from your employer’s or its insurance company’s list of “preferred” providers. Unfortunately, these doctors do not always have injured workers’ best interests in mind. Mistake #3: Returning to Work Too Soon […]

Read More | Share:

After a car accident, you are likely suffering in a variety of ways—going back and forth to doctors and specialists to receive treatment for your injuries, making appointments with car repairmen and insurance policy adjusters, and dealing with the emotional fallout from the incident. Depending on the severity of your injuries and the damage done to your vehicle, you may be unable to get to work, or unable to resume the physical activities your job requires, and if this is the case, your employer may not be able to pay you your full wages, or anything at all. If you’re not working, how do you pay your bills? How do you handle the mounting expenses of your recovery—hospital bills, car repairs, and more? Depending on the circumstances surrounding your accident, you could be able to recoup compensation from the person who caused the accident to cover the time that you have to be away from work. This is called lost earning compensation or reimbursement. How Does Lost Earning Reimbursement Work? The person who caused the accident can be ordered to make restitution for all of the victim’s expenses, including any lost earnings, or the potential for lost earnings. In order to file a claim to receive this compensation, the victim has to prove that he was directly impacted by the car accident, and that the injuries sustained directly limited his ability to work. This injury could be something short-term, like a pulled muscle or sprained wrist, or something that requires […]

Read More | Share:

From the moment parents bring home their first babies, they have likely done everything in their power to teach him or her how to be a good person, and how to make smart choices, follow the rules, and be an upstanding citizen. Parents take responsibility for their children’s actions when they’re young, but just how far does that responsibility extend as children grow into teenagers, with licenses and driving privileges? Parents of teenaged drivers are already worried about the potential for disaster once their children take the wheel. Risks abound from other drivers and hazardous weather conditions, as well as from the teen driver himself, with distractions, alcohol, and drugs. Teen drivers who are negligent or who willfully break the law can cause serious damage to others on the road, and under Illinois’ parental liability law, their parents may be forced to shoulder the financial responsibility. Understanding Parental Liability Parental liability refers to the responsibility assessed to the parent whenever a child is charged with causing damage to another person or property. This liability typically begins when the child is at the age of reason (somewhere between 8 to 10 years old), and should know the difference between right and wrong, and lasts until the child is considered a mature adult. Under the Illinois Parental Responsibility Law (IPRL), found in the 740 ILCS 115 of Illinois Compiled Statutes, the parent or legal guardian can be held legally responsible for any intentional acts of negligence committed by a minor child, if […]

Read More | Share: