Chicago Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Workers’ compensation exists to protect employees like you from on-the-clock harm. Unfortunately, the process of filing for workers’ compensation after an accident can prove unnecessarily nebulous. Some corporate insurance providers deliberately make it more difficult for you to get the support you deserve in an effort to save themselves money.

Our Chicago workers’ compensation lawyers don’t believe in giving up in the face of adversity, though. If you’re struggling to file a workers’ compensation claim, Morelli Law Firm can lend you a hand. Our personal injury lawyers in Chicago can even step in and file a lawsuit on your behalf if your employer refuses to acknowledge your right to support.

Where to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Chicago

If you can’t return to work for a considerable amount of time after an accident at the workplace, you may have the right to file for workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation allows you to receive reduced wages while you get the medical attention you need to get back on your feet.

Should you want to file a workers’ compensation claim in Chicago, you have an obligation to inform your employer that you intend to make your claim within 45 days of your accident. There are some exceptions to this rule, though, particularly addressing illnesses stemming from exposure to dangerous substances in the workplace.

After you’ve informed your employer that you plan to file a workers’ compensation claim, you can file an application for workers’ compensation with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Should you receive support, the Commission should help you pay for your medical expenses and disabilities in addition to compensating you for your reduced wages.

When to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim

It is in your best interest to explore your right to file a workers’ compensation claim after unnecessarily dangerous workplace accidents, including the following:

• Construction Accidents
• Slip and falls
• Electrocutions
• Heavy machinery injuries
• Caught-between injuries
• Fires
• Asbestos exposure

Some employees in Illinois also have the right to file workers’ compensation claims if they contract COVID-19 after workplace exposure. You can work with a workers’ compensation lawyer in Chicago to determine whether or not your employer recognizes this right as you recover.

Workers’ Compensation Deadlines to Consider

As mentioned, injured employees like you have 45 days to inform your employer that you intend to file a workers’ compensation claim for loss support. After that, you have three years from the day of your accident to file a workers’ compensation claim with Illinois’s Workers’ Compensation Commission.

You can request accommodations or other adjustments to that deadline if you’re contending with a late-onset injury or if your condition worsens over time.

Reasons Your Boss Might Deny Your Workers’ Compensation Claim

Unfortunately, not every employer recognizes your right to pursue workers’ compensation support after an in-house injury. While it is illegal to retaliate against an employee who files for workers’ compensation, some employers may wrongfully deny your request for support or try to stall after the Commission approves your request.

Employers may cite the following reasons as justification for them to deny your workers’ compensation claim:

• Failure to notify your boss in time
• Injuries stemming from negligence on the clock
• Drug or alcohol use
• Injuries that happened outside of the workplace

Morelli Law Firm can help you determine whether or not an employer has rightfully cited these reasons in their effort to deny your claim or if your employer is acting in bad faith. We can help you explore alternative roads to compensation in either scenario.

If you’re contending with pre-existing conditions that a workplace accident exacerbated, employers may try to wriggle out of financial responsibility for your recovery. You can work with an attorney to determine your right to damages based on worsening pre-existing conditions, depending on the nature of your recent accident. 

What to Do if Your Boss Denies Your Chicago Workers’ Compensation Claim

If you don’t receive the financial support you need to recover from a workplace accident after filing a workers’ compensation claim, you may have the right to initiate a personal injury lawsuit against an offending party. This can include your employer. If you want to demand damages in civil court, you need to bring forward evidence to prove that:

• A liable party, possibly your employer, owed you a duty of care
• The named party violated that duty through reckless behavior or negligence
• You endured economic hardship as a result of that negligence

You have an obligation to bring your lawsuit forward within Illinois’s personal injury statute of limitations, 735 ILCS 5/13-212, if you want to make your case. You can work with a workers’ compensation lawyer in Illinois to make the most out of that four-year filing period.

When to Call a Chicago Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Our team recommends that you reach out to a Chicago workers’ compensation lawyer within a few weeks of your initial accident. Morelli Law Firm can help you bring together the information needed to file a workers’ compensation claim. We can also help you appeal a denied claim should the need arise.

You can also request that our team help you explore your right to a personal injury claim before you agree to commit to legal action. An initial personal injury case evaluation does not commit you to long-term legal action. 

Morelli Law Wants to Help You Get Your Life Back

If you’ve never filed for workers’ compensation before, the process may seem daunting. Our workers’ compensation lawyers in Chicago believe that you deserve compensation for injuries sustained on the clock, though. We can sit down and work with you to break down your claim. With our help, you can stay on top of your deadlines and fight for the support you deserve.

Should an employer continually deny you the compensation you need to recover, don’t panic. You still have the right to bring a personal injury lawsuit against the parties responsible for your accident. You can work with Morelli Law Firm to take your case to court without exacerbating your current condition.

You can contact us today to book a free workers’ compensation case evaluation.