If you are affected by an accident while on the job, you have laws that have been put into place to help you. In Schaumburg, a workers compensation lawyer can provide you advice on the legislation that is intended to help you and your family when faced with just such a situation. He or she is able to help you with what can become quite complex legal issues, including the changes made to the act in 2011 and those resulting from the more recent passage of SB 3287. This is another weapon in the arsenal of a skilled workers compensation lawyer.
Workers Compensation and the Law
Every year, around 200,000 accidents happen in Illinois that are actually work-related. Only a small percentage of this amount are actually reported to the Workers’ Compensation Commission in Illinois. Those who do report the accident are then faced with addressing certain criteria before they are considered eligible to receive workers compensation benefits under Illinois legislation. Unfortunately, the requirements make the entire process difficult to overcome and the benefits hard to tap. In places such as Schaumburg, a workers compensation lawyer may be the only option.
The workers’ compensation system arose out of an attempt to create a compromise between the employers and the employees. To prevent any instance of the company being sued by an employee, the company agreed to provide money to support the affected employee(s). This removed the threat of being sued for even willful negligence from the company while providing some form of compensation for the employee. At the same time, it ensured that an employee who was injured through their own negligence would still be compensated. Many still believe the resultant legislation, as well as any amendments, provides more protection to employers than to the employees or workers it was intended to protect.
While Illinois is considered more worker friendly than other states, the changes to Workers Compensation in 2011, have undermined several employee’s rights to receive sufficient compensation for injuries resulting from an accident. In Schaumburg, a workers compensation lawyer will clearly define to you the changes made in benefits. These reduce the amount an injured employee may receive.
Furthermore, the changes have made it impossible for workers defined as contract workers, to receive any compensation while insurance companies and employers are able to reduce their responsibility and find various new ways to forbid any, let alone adequate, compensation for the harm that has been done to an employee.
Illinois State Senate Bill 3287 (SB 3287)
This bill amends the current Illinois workers’ compensation law in one small but significant way. It creates what a Schaumburg workers compensation lawyer would refer to as tort liability to a specific group that had been able to escape culpability due to immunity. This group is a third party safety service organization. Exceptions have always existed within the act, but the passage of Illinois State Senate Bill 3287 (SB 3287) amends the existing legislation in a slight manner. Nevertheless, it still requires a lawyer skilled in this are to completely understand the nuances of the act.
Schaumburg Workers Compensation Lawyer
SB 3287 is a complicated document. It may well have some bearing on what you may believe is a straight-forward case for workers compensation. The complicated amendment along with other changes in the legislation from 2011, can be confusing and misleading to those affected by workplace accidents in places such as Schaumburg. A Workers compensation lawyer may be the best and often only chance an injured employee may have of receiving the compensation he or she deserves.
If you live in Schaumburg, a Workers Compensation Lawyer may be your best hope at making sure you receive what is yours under the law. At Allegretti & Associates, we will provide you with the best representation possible. We will offer you professional advice and utilize our experiene to help you win your case. To learn how we can help those who have fallen victim to any type of accident, visit us online at Allegrettilaw.