Injury

July 6, 2020

Chicago issues Travel Order starting July 6th for travelers from 15 States. Workers from Travel/Transportation/Hospitality industry should be on high alert.

by Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, PC

Chicago issued an emergency travel order which began at 12:01 a.m. Monday and will remain in effect until further notice.[i] This means that anyone who has contact with one of fifteen states (listed in the travel order) and enters into Chicago will need to quarantine for 14 days. This applies to those individuals visiting Chicago or returning to Chicago from visiting those states.

States included in the order are: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.

The rationale for this emergency travel order is that these States are seeing significant increases in COVID-19 cases and infection rates. Some of these states are reporting record numbers. What this means for Chicago-area workers that revolve around or relate to those types of industries that deal with interstate travel is that they now might have a higher probability of contracting COVID-19 then they were weeks or months ago.

May 22, 2020

“I am furloughed/laid off because of Covid-19, is it too late to file a Workers’ Compensation claim for a work accident I had?” “Can I still get compensation benefits if I no longer work for my employer?” “I had an accident at work some time ago but never filed anything, and now I am laid off, can I still file a workers’ compensation claim for that accident?

by Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, PC

The short answer to these questions is: “Yes, you can still possibly file a workers’ compensation.” It will be highly dependent on the facts of that specific case, but you can still file a claim if you met the criteria. This is where an experienced attorney can help and guide you with your possible claims. Understanding a few important provisions of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act is vital to preserving your rights if you’ve been laid off or furloughed because of Covid-19. Or, even if you have an older claim that you did not want to pursue at the time but now want to see if you are still entitled to compensation.

How long do I have to file a claim?

Even if you are no longer working for your employer, you are legally entitled to file a workers’ compensation claim within three (3) years from the date of the injury/accident, or two (2) years from the date of last compensation received because of the injury, whichever is longer. 820 ILCS 305/6(d) Illinois General Assembly. Outside of these time periods, you may find yourself barred from receiving any compensation for that work accident and injury. However, it is important to understand that just because you may still have the ability to file a workers’ compensation claim, there is no guarantee you will be entitled to benefits if you do not take the proper steps in preserving your case.

April 30, 2018

Nursing Under Pressure: Workplace Violence in the Illinois Healthcare Industry

by Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, PC

Among those in the healthcare industry, it is common knowledge that threats of violence ranging from verbal to physical to sexual abuse come with the territory. In fact, violence in the healthcare industry “accounts for almost a quarter of all violence at work………” click here to view the full article from the Illinois Nurses’ Association

August 11, 2017

I worked all my life and then had a stroke. I need disability. But I’m so ashamed.

by Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, PC

When you live in the land of opportunity and yours passes you by, a life that began with lofty dreams and unlimited potential can result in devastating humiliation.

I know because it happened to me……

Click here to read the full article via the Washington Post

April 12, 2014

Third-party lawsuits for worker injuries in Illinois

by Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, PC

Every year, many Illinois workers incur injuries that allow them to receive compensation under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act. An employee is able to acquire benefits under this legislation regardless of whether the accident was the fault of the employee or the employer. However, in some cases, the fault lies not within either of these parties but with another entity or person. When this happens, the injured employee can file a third-party lawsuit against this person or entity.

Examples of third-party lawsuits

There are several different situations in which an employee could suffer injuries that would justify filing a third-party lawsuit. Some of these include:

April 10, 2014

Obtaining workers’ compensation for a mental illness in Illinois

by Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, PC

A mental illness is a disease that causes mild to severe disturbances in a person’s thoughts and behaviors. There are over 200 types of classified mental illnesses. However, some of the most common include depression, bipolar disorder, dementia and anxiety. Mental illness symptoms vary by person and may include changes in mood, personal habits and personality.

Mental illness’ effect on workers

Mental illnesses can interfere with an Illinois employee’s capacity to perform the daily requirements of their job. For example, a mental illness may affect an employee’s ability to concentrate, handle pressure, multi-task, remain energized throughout the day, interact with others, respond to changes and filter out distracting sights, sounds and stimuli.