Understanding how Workers’ Compensation Works

As an Illinois worker, you likely already know that your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance covers you in the event you suffer a work-related injury or develop a work-related illness. But what you likely fail to realize is that getting the benefits you deserve can often become a complicated and time-consuming process, requiring the assistance of a knowledgeable attorney.

One of the things you need to be aware of is that you have only a limited amount of time within which to get your workers’ compensation process started. For instance, you must inform your employer of your injury or illness within 45 days of its occurrence. Then you have three years within which to file your claim with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. However, the sooner you file, the better your chances of obtaining maximum benefits.

Types of benefits

Your workers’ compensation benefits include the following:

• Medical care: money to pay for the medical treatment you require to relieve or cure your injury or illness

• Temporary partial disability: money to temporarily sustain you during your initial recovery, but while you work lighter duties for less compensation than usual

• Temporary total disability: money to temporarily sustain you during your initial recovery while you cannot work

• Permanent partial disability: money to sustain you if you suffer permanent damage, even if your disability allows you to do some type of work

• Permanent total disability: money to sustain you if you suffer permanent damage and your disability prevents you from doing any type of work

In addition to these benefits you can receive yourself, your family can receive workers’ compensation death benefits if your work-related injury or illness results in your death.

Remember, the most important thing you can do for yourself if you sustain a work-related injury or develop a work-related illness is to get the workers’ compensation process started as quickly as possible.