Illinois Workers’ Compensation FAQs (Pt. 1)

Illinois workers’ compensation laws are in place to protect people in the event they are hurt at work or develop some type of occupational illness in the course of performing their job. Despite these protections, however, obtaining Illinois’ workers’ compensation benefits can be complicated, especially when people are not familiar with the specific processes, deadlines and other requirements that must be fulfilled in order to get these essential benefits.

In this blog series, we will answer some of the most common questions that people have when it comes to Illinois workers’ compensation claims and benefits. While the answers and information provided herein are general, you can obtain more specific information pertaining to you, your rights and your case by contacting the Illinois workers’ compensation lawyers at Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C. today.

Q – Will Illinois workers’ compensation cover any workplace injury?

A – When a person has been injured while working and was not behaving in a manner that could be considered willfully reckless, then he will generally be entitled to Illinois’ workers’ compensation benefits, regardless of:

• The specific type of injury he sustained
• He may have played a role in the accident or incident that resulted in the workplace injury.

Q – If I file for and receive workers’ compensation benefits, can I sue my employer?

A – In general, no. Accepting workers’ compensation benefits, which are paid out by the employer’s insurance company, will prevent you from being able to sue your employer in the event you are hurt at work.

Here, however, it’s important to mention that: 

• It may be possible to sue employers for workplace injuries if the employer was behaving in a criminally negligent manner and this negligence contributed to the worker’s injuries.
• Injured workers may be able to sue third parties – like, for instance, subcontractors or vendors – in the event that these entities, which are not the employers of the injured person, caused or played a role in causing the person’s injuries.

For more important info about Illinois workers’ compensation claims and benefits, be sure to look for the upcoming second and third parts of this blog series.

Mount Vernon Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at the Law Firm of Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C.

Have you been hurt at work? If so, the Mount Vernon workers’ compensation lawyers at the law firm of Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C. are here for you. Since 1950, we have been providing client-centered representation to injured people throughout Southern Illinois. Our trusted attorneys focus on our clients’ needs, we are passionate about our clients, and we do everything we can to help them get the maximum possible workers’ compensation benefits so they can focus on recovery and future.

Contact Us

If you have sustained a workplace injury, or if you have lost a loved one due to any work-related injury, contact us by calling (888) 896-9381 or by emailing us using the form at the upper right-hand side of the page. We can provide you with a free, thorough assessment of your case, along with professional advice regarding the best manner in which to move forward.