Illinois Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ Comp in Illinois is operated by the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. There are offices in Chicago, Collinsville, Peoria, Rockford, and Springfield. The Illinois WCC reports more than 200,000 comp claims per year. However, only about 65,000 of those claims are for more than 3 days missed from work. About 40% of comp claim hearings are taken care of in Chicago, the rest are downstate.
Estimate the Value of an Illinois Workers’ Comp Claim
Temporary total disability benefits (TTD)
Temporary total disability benefits (TTD) is designed to make up for lost wages from missed work. It is compensated at a rate of 2/3 of the employee’s average weekly wage. The average weekly wage in IL is calculated by averaging the previous 52 weeks worth of work. The minimum TTD is $213.33, but can increase based on dependents. The maximum workers’ comp TTD in IL is $1,243 per week. The maximum, very much unlike most states is actually more than the SAWW. It is 133.33% of the IL SAWW. No TTD is available for the first three days of missed work, unless more than 14 total days are missed.
Temporary partial disability allows you to get a portion of the difference between the former salary and the new salary based on the lighter duty.
Permanent partial disability benefits (PPD)
Perm Partial Disability (PPD) benefits are calculated after the injury has healed as much as it is going to. This is often referred to as maximum medical improvement. Once MMI is reached, the Commission makes a determination of loss of use. PPD benefits are paid for total or partial loss of a body part or the total or partial loss of a use of a body part. It is also paid out for partial loss of use of the entire body. The PPD is determined by four different elements: lost wages, scheduled injuries, non-scheduled injuries, and disfigurement. Compensation is determined by the commission by a combination of all factors.
Maximum PPD rates in Chicago (all of IL) are 100% of the IL SAWW is no amputation is involved. If amputation is involved, the benefits can go up to 133% of the SAWW. If the workers’ condition changes, the case can be reopened for a period of 5 years.
Permanent Total Disability
These cases happen in two ways – where there is total loss and an inability to work in the future or where two body parts are 100% disabled. The benefits are 2/3 of the workers’ AWW FOR LIFE. The minimum PTD is 50% of the SAWW and the maximum is 133% of the SAWW.
IL Workers’ Comp Death Benefits
In the unfortunate case of an injured workers’ death, funeral expenses are paid up to $8000. Minimum survivor benefits are 50% of the SAWW and maximum survivor benefits are 133% of the SAWW. The benefits are payable for 25 years or $500,000, whichever is greater.
Good IL Comp Lawyers can Estimate the Value of IL Workers’ Comp Claims
As you can see, there is a tremendous amount of information involved in IL workers’ comp. One way to determine a good IL workers’ comp lawyer is to ask him or her to estimate the value of your IL workers’ comp claim. Of course, the exact answer cannot be determined, and any good IL lawyers knows this. However, experience is often the mark of a good lawyer. And it is by experience that a comp lawyer can estimate the value of your workers’ comp claim in IL.
