When employees are injured at work, they can seek compensation, preferably by filing a third-party workplace accident lawsuit in Joliet.
Your employer should provide you with a list of approved doctors after you are hurt at work in Joliet. Any questions or offers for transitional jobs should be handled carefully, as they might hurt your future claim. If your employer retaliates against you for seeking compensation, report them immediately. Typically, suing is ideal for injured workers, as doing so can make them eligible for non-economic and punitive damages, as well as compensation for all lost wages. In order to bring a claim at any time, you must do so before the deadline, which can differ depending on the type of claim brought in Joliet.
For help with your case from the Joliet, IL work injury lawyers at Rhatigan Law Offices, call us today at (312) 578-8502.
What to Expect from Your Employer After a Work Accident in Joliet, IL
After you are injured in a workplace incident in Joliet, you should immediately report the accident to your employer. Once you do, you might receive certain instructions or offers from your employer, which are important to consider carefully before you accept.
Although you might end up filing a work injury lawsuit against a negligent third party, it is important that you receive a list of approved doctors from your employer after an accident at work. This is so you remain eligible for insurance benefits if necessary. You should continue seeking care from medical professionals for as long as it takes you to fully heal from your injuries.
Your employer might ask you questions about your accident, which should be directed to our work injury lawyers. If you unintentionally accept fault for your injuries or otherwise misspeak during conversations with your employer, your future claim might be jeopardized. Do not offer up any unnecessary details about your accident or your injuries.
Injured employees might be offered transitional jobs by employers in Joliet. Transitional jobs can reduce the insurance benefits an employee is eligible for, especially regarding wage-loss benefits, even if they are earning a lesser income. Accepting a transitional job before ensuring that you can complete the necessary tasks with your work restrictions might make it appear as though your injuries are not severe enough to warrant compensation for lost wages following a workplace incident.
Worker Injury Claims and Employer Retaliation in Joliet, IL
If you file a lawsuit for a work-related injury in Joliet, your employer will most likely not be the defendant named in the case. Because of this, injured employees typically do not need to fear employer retaliation following a workplace accident.
Lawsuits against employers for workplace injuries are generally not permitted in Joliet as long as an employer has insurance. This means that most work injury lawsuits are brought against a negligent third party, such as the manufacturer of a defective product. Since your employer will likely not be involved in the litigation surrounding your case, there is no reason to fear that you will be fired or demoted for seeking compensation.
In rare circumstances, an employer can be sued if an employee is injured while performing their workplace duties. For example, if your employer does not have workplace liability insurance or they intentionally caused you physical harm, you can sue them for damages in Joliet. Should that be the case in your situation, your employer is still not permitted to retaliate against you. This is the case even if you simply file a claim with your employer’s workplace liability insurance. Any threats or intimidation from an employer to an injured worker should be reported to our attorneys immediately. The same can be said for any employer’s efforts to interfere or sabotage with a claim for work injury.
Perks of Suing for Work Injury in Joliet, IL
When suing a third party is a possibility, the outcome is typically preferable for victims in Joliet. Insurance settlements might not be as lucrative as the compensation available at a trial.
Worker benefits in Illinois are limited to a portion of an employee’s average weekly wages plus necessary medical costs. This means recovery is capped in cases where victims are unable to sue.
If another party’s negligence caused your injuries and you can file a lawsuit, that may result in greater damages for you. Illinois does not cap damages, meaning workers in Joliet can recover compensation for all financial losses. Filing a lawsuit also provides the opportunity for recovery of emotional damages, such as pain and suffering, which are typically unavailable in settlements. Suing might also open the door to punitive damages if the party that caused your injuries acted grossly negligent in doing so.
Time to File a Work Injury Claim in Joliet, IL
Immediately after an accident at work, it is important to confirm whether or not you can sue for injury. If not, you might be beholden to a shorter filing deadline.
In Joliet, victims have just 45 days to file a claim with their employer’s insurance after a work-related incident. For lawsuits, the deadline to file is two years after an accident occurs. The stark difference in these filing deadlines might cause confusion for some victims and can leave many without the ability to get compensation of any kind, especially if they are unable to file a lawsuit against an employer or a third party.
If you do not file your work injury claim before the deadline, you will become ineligible to recover compensation. This is the case even if you have sustained permanent injuries in a workplace accident. Heeding the statute of limitations, and filing well before the deadline, is always best.
Bring a Claim for Work Injury in Joliet, IL Today
Call Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502 to discuss your case with our work injury lawyers for free.
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