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2114 Deerpath Road, Aurora, Illinois 60506
630-907-0909
Running a business without workers' compensation insurance is considered a felony. Under Illinois Workers’ Compensation Laws, almost all workers are eligible for workers compensation. A couple of exceptions are farm workers and Federal employees.
Employers are required to have workers’ compensation insurance, which provides financial stability and medical care for employees who are facing injuries that were caused by an accident in the workplace or their working conditions. It is there to help employees heal from their ordeal, physically and emotionally.
If you are unsure about whether your work-related injuries are eligible for workers' compensation, here are some of the most common workers' compensation claims:
Slips and falls - Anyone can trip and fall, but conditions such as a slippery floor, uneven surface, poorly managed wires, or inadequate lighting can make an employee falling at work more likely. According to the United States Department of Labor, trips, falls and slips account for twenty-five percent of the work-related injuries that prevent an employee from immediately returning to work. In the case of a slippery floor, even if a wet floor sign is present, an employee may still eligible for workers compensation, even if a wet floor sign is present, so long as the injury is severe enough that it renders an employee unable to work. Serious falls, such as those from heights, are more commonly seen in utility and construction professions.
Kane County is no stranger to cold and snowy winters. During the second week of February of this year, St. Charles received over 14 inches of snow over a span of four days. Shoveling the driveway and sidewalk is hard enough, but what happens when you need to operate a vehicle during the harsh Midwest winter?
Every year, approximately 900 people are killed in an auto accident during winter precipitation, and 1,300 are killed because of pre-existing road conditions such as snow, ice, or slush. Thousands more are injured, despite almost 75 percent of the United States regularly experiencing winter weather.
In an act of preparing for the harsh winter ahead, here are some tips for keeping safe on the roads, despite unfavorable conditions:
Go Slow - Your safety is more important than getting to your destination quickly. It takes longer to stop your car on snow or ice, giving you a shorter reaction time if you are speeding. If your destination is time-sensitive, consider leaving early. Other people will be driving slow as well. If conditions are too bad, safely pull over.
We have truck drivers to thank for providing goods and services across the county. However, these massive vehicles are one of the most dangerous on the road, weighing up to 80,000 pounds. Any accident on the road can be deadly, but when an 18-wheeler is involved, catastrophic personal injury can occur. Driver fatigue is often blamed for accidents involving trucks, but overworking is not always the cause of a truck accident.
In the United States, truck drivers must keep a 24-hour logbook while on duty. Commercial motor drivers can only work 11 cumulative hours within a 14 hour period. Drivers are then required to rest for a minimum of ten hours. A recent mandate has made electronic onboard recorders mandatory, which record the actual driving time of a truck.
After bringing a child into the world, you do your best to provide a safe environment for them to grow up in. You may put locks on cupboards, and a gate in front of the basement stairs, but what happens when a product you purchase puts your infant in harm's way? Poor design or a manufacturing flaw in a product can result in injury or death to your child. Common injuries involved in a products liability suit may include:
Something seemingly safe for your child may result in death or injury. Here are some examples of products for infants that are seen as hazards, or have been recalled due to bodily harm to a child.
For the average adult, one-third of your life is spent at work. Your workplace is a familiar space and, especially for traditionally non-hazardous spaces like an office, it may be hard to believe when a serious accident occurs. No matter who is at fault for the accident, you have rights as an employee to submit a claim for any pain and suffering sustained while at work. Suffering an injury at work is a scary and unsure time. Here are a collection of frequently asked questions in regards to workers compensation in Illinois.
According to the Illinois Handbook On Workers Compensation And Occupational Diseases, workers compensation is defined as a system, for most employees, to receive benefits by law after a workplace injury or disease developed from an occupational hazard.
Car accidents are inevitable with human error. However, the likelihood of an accident is significantly higher when the driver behind the wheel is under the influence of alcohol. Approximately one-fourth of all fatal car accident victims in Illinois in 2016 were alcohol-related. There were also 29,528 DUI arrests in the same year, as reported by the Secretary of State’s office. A drunk driver perceives the road differently than a sober driver, and sometimes defensive driving is not enough to protect yourself.
A DUI, or Driving Under the Influence, is when a person is operating a motor vehicle while under a mind-altering substance. DUI’s are most known for alcohol offenses, but they also include:
Most practitioners experience at least one medical malpractice lawsuit during their career. Obstetrician/gynecologists (OB/GYN) and surgeons are the most commonly sued in the medical world. In fact, according to a Medscape study, 85% of OB/GYN specialists have been sued.
When a healthcare professional or medical establishment causes harm to a patient because of negligence, this is medical malpractice. One-third of lawsuits related to an OB/GYN practice is the result of an injury during care. Examples of medical malpractice include:
Working in the construction industry is nothing like a 9:00 am to 5:00 pm office job. It is one of the most dangerous industries to work in. According to the United States Department of Labor, for every five workplace deaths, one is a construction worker. Aside from working at potentially dangerous heights, construction workers also deal with harsh chemicals and powerful equipment that can be deadly when used improperly.
When an accident happens on a construction site in Illinois, the law says the victim can only file a workers compensation claim, but not a personal injury claim, against the employer. Third parties, however, can be held accountable for a personal injury claim.
Despite the dangerous conditions of construction work, accidents can be prevented. It is the responsibility of a construction company to keep employees safe to the best of their ability. Here are some ways to build safety in the construction community:
On the road, cyclists must abide by many of the same rules as drivers in Illinois. That being said, an accident with a bicycle should be handled similarly to that as an accident with another motor vehicle. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the majority of car accidents involving a bicycle happen in non-intersectional areas of the road in urban areas.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an estimated 6,296,000 traffic crashes were reported to police. Out of those, 737,100 were estimated to have been hit-and-run accidents, or nearly 12 percent of all accidents. Hit-and-run accidents can leave you devastated and confused. Unforeseen medical bills and unplanned vehicle repairs can become costly very quickly. If you have been a victim of a hit-and-run car accident, your actions after the accident can be determinant of whether or not you receive the compensation you deserve.
If a person is involved in a car accident, they are required by law to stop and give information to others involved in that car accident. If they fail to do so, they can be guilty of a hit-and-run accident. If they cannot return to the scene of the crime, or nobody is around to collect their information, they must report the accident to the nearest police department and provide their information at that time. If a report is not made within 30 minutes of the accident, they may be guilty of a hit-and-run.
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2114 Deerpath Road, Aurora, IL 60506 630-907-0909
