What Benefits Does Workers’ Compensation Provide?

 Posted on November 24, 2023 in Workers' Compensation

Workers’ compensation provides employees financial assistance for work-related illnesses and injuries. Workers’ compensation protects employers from being sued by their employees.

Most employers are required to provide workers’ compensation benefits to employees. If you have been recently injured on the job, speak with a Joliet workers’ compensation attorney to learn if you qualify for workers’ compensation.

What is Workers’ Compensation?

Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance that covers the cost of medical treatments and replaces lost wages. Workers’ compensation provides benefits for any injuries or illnesses that are partly or entirely related to an employee’s work.

In Illinois, the Workers’ Compensation Act requires that employers provide workers’ compensation insurance to employees. Employers who intentionally choose not to carry this insurance may be fined $500 for every day of noncompliance, with a potential fine of $10,000.

Workers’ compensation is “no-fault” insurance, so the employee does not need to prove that the employer’s negligence led to the injury. 

Injury Classifications

The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission classifies injuries in terms of temporary versus permanent and partial versus total. 

Temporary vs. Permanent

A temporary disability will improve eventually, which will permit the employee to return to their regular job.  

A permanent disability, on the other hand, means that the employee will not be able to return to normal work tasks the individual was able to perform before the injury. A permanent disability may require an employee to find work in a different industry or prevent him or her from working entirely.

Partial vs. Total

A partial disability may cause an employee to need accommodations to complete job tasks, while a total disability will prevent an employee from working at all.

Lost Wages Benefits

Workers’ compensation will cover 66 2/3% of the employee’s average weekly wage (AWW), with minimum and maximum limits in place. Workers’ compensation insurance will become effective once the employee has missed three consecutive days of work, with reimbursement starting on the fourth day of lost wages and continuing until the temporary total disability period has ended.

Different disability classifications under the Act have their own minimum and maximum average weekly wage limits. The maximum statewide average weekly wage that anyone can receive on disability benefits from July 15, 2023, to January 14, 2024, is $1,395.92.

The AWW is readjusted every six months for employees who are receiving disability benefits. If you suffer a partial disability but can still work, the Workers’ Compensation Commission may award you a wage differential. This amount is 66 2/3% of the difference between the employee’s lower-paying job and his or her job prior to being injured. 

Medical Benefits

Workers’ compensation covers all reasonable medical expenses related to your injury. Medical benefits will include, but are not limited to:

• Emergency room visits 
• Doctor appointments
• Surgeries
• Prescription costs
• Physical therapy
• Ongoing treatments: chemotherapy or radiation

Workers may even be able to receive compensation for travel costs associated with their medical visits. If you are unsure if you are maximizing your workers’ compensation benefits, please speak with a Will County workers’ compensation lawyer today.

Injured on the Job? Contact a Joliet, IL, Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Getting injured on the job or falling ill as a result of your work environment can be frightening. You may be afraid that you will not be able to provide for your family. If you are unsure what is covered under your workers’ compensation benefits, our Will County, IL, workers’ compensation lawyers are here to help. Contact McNamara Phelan McSteen, LLC today online or by calling 815-727-0100 to schedule your free consultation.