Cold weather and winter conditions cannot only cause accidents but also make injuries worse when mishaps happen. Workers who are exposed to extreme cold risk frostbite, trenchfoot, hypothermia and other medical impairments. Snow and icy conditions can also lead to slips and falls.
Illinois state and federal laws require employers to take certain steps to protect workers who perform jobs in cold weather. That includes monitoring workers in cold and winter conditions, giving them regular rest breaks in a warm location, requiring workers to do their jobs in pairs, scheduling outdoor work during the warmest part of the day and providing heating equipment. Employers should monitor both the air temperature and the wind speed, which can make workers feel even colder. Only necessary emergency work should be performed in the case of extreme wind chill temperatures.
Getting Compensation for Your Injuries
The good news for a person injured on the job is that you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries. The Illinois workers’ compensation system is a form of insurance that most employers in the state are required to have. The employer pays a premium to an insurance company in exchange for the company’s agreement to pay out cash benefits or pay for medical care in the event that a covered employee is injured while working.
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system. You don’t have to prove that your employer is to blame for your injuries and you can make a benefits claim even if you are partially at fault.
Types of Compensation
The primary benefit of workers’ compensation is that it covers all of the necessary medical treatment related to your impairment or injury. Injured workers are also entitled to other benefits, however, that vary based on the circumstances.
Workers who can’t immediately return to work or who have to be transferred to different positions while they recuperate can also get cash benefits to make up for lost or decreased wages. Additional compensation is available for workers who are considered permanently disabled, whether its partial or full disability. Benefits also cover the costs of training necessary for you to work in a new position if you can’t return to your previous job.
In the tragic event that a person is killed in a workplace accident, his or her loved ones may be entitled to certain death benefits. These benefits are generally designed to offer similar compensation to what would have been available to the person had he or she survived the accident.
Contact a Chicago Work Related Accident Attorney at Jackowiak Law Offices Today
At the Jackowiak Law Offices, we help those who are injured on the job get the full compensation available under the law. We are conveniently located in downtown Chicago and we are pleased to come to you if needed. Contact us online or call (312) 795-9595 to speak with a Chicago work related accident attorney.