Being injured at work is a common occurrence and can often be frightening. Several questions can pop up all at once. First and foremost, what is wrong with me and how severe are my injuries? Who is going to pay may medical bills and what if I cannot return to work for a period of time? What if I don’t like the way the company doctor is treating me?
All of these questions are very important, which is why you should always consult with an Illinois workers compensation attorney who can and will protect your rights. Under the Illinois Workers Compensation Act, if an employee is injured on the job, then employer must pay all of the related medical bills and 2/3 of the employees average weekly wage for any time off of work due to the injury. Assuming the injured employee returns to work, then he or she will be owed a permanency award at the end of the case. This is a very basic outline of the benefits involved with workers compensation.
There are multiple things to remember if you suffer from a work injury. Below are list of things that you should and should not do if you are injured at work.
1. Do report the injury to your supervisor/employer immediately and preferably in writing.
2. Do seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
3. Do give a detailed accident history to your treating physician describing how the work injury occurred.
4. Do have your doctor put any work restrictions in writing and forward to your employer.
5. Do keep your employer updated on your medical treatment and let him or her know if you have been released from treatment or sent back to work.
6. Do not disobey your doctor’s orders concerning treatment, restrictions or return to work.
7. Do not miss any doctor’s appointment or therapy sessions.
If you or someone you love has been involved in an Illinois work accident or has an Illinois workers compensation case, please have them call Chicago work comp attorney, Aaron J. Bryant, at 312-614-1076. I provide free legal consultations and can answer any questions.