If you were hurt on the job in Chicago, Illinois law generally entitles you to medical care and wage benefits regardless of fault. Getting those benefits paid on time is often the hard part. Missed checks, denied treatment, and pressure to return to work too soon can leave you and your family worried about how to get by.
At Herbert Rosner Connelly Law Firm, our Chicago workers' comp lawyers handle the paperwork, the insurance company, and the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission so you can focus on recovery. We explain your options in plain language and move quickly when payments stop.
Our firm was founded by three partners who focus on personal injury and workers' compensation, and injured workers are a core part of that practice. We handle claims before the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission and deal with the insurer on your behalf.
Our case results include a $50 million settlement for a railroad worker seriously injured on the job, a $9 million premises liability settlement, and an $8.1 million settlement involving medical negligence at a Chicago hospital. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case.
We work from our Chicago office at 65 W. Jackson Blvd. and represent injured workers throughout the city.
You may qualify for Illinois workers’ compensation if you were an employee and your injury arose out of and in the course of your job. You generally do not have to prove that your employer was negligent.
A valid claim usually requires showing:
Workers’ compensation can cover sudden accidents, such as falls or machinery injuries, as well as some repetitive-trauma conditions that develop over time. Whether a claim qualifies depends on the specific facts, especially when the employer disputes how or where the injury happened.
Chicago's hearing site handles more new workers' comp claims than any other in Illinois. According to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report, 15,009 of the 34,366 new claims filed statewide went to Chicago, nearly 44% of the total.
The report also estimates roughly 200,000 work-related accidents occur in Illinois each year, though fewer than 40,000 become Commission claims. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that private employers recorded 91,600 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in Illinois in 2024.
Statewide, the most reported injuries in fiscal year 2024 came from these sectors:
Your claim's value depends on your average weekly wage, the type of injury, your time off work, and any lasting limitations.
For injuries on or after September 1, 2011, the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act directs the Commission to weigh several factors:
No single factor decides the outcome.
Suppose your average weekly wage is $1,200 and your back injury is rated as a 10% loss of the person as a whole. Permanency benefits are paid at 60% of your wage, or $720 per week, for 50 weeks (10% of 500 weeks), totaling $36,000. Statutory minimum and maximum rates can change that figure.
Section 8 of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act sets out most benefits, and Section 7 covers death benefits. Depending on your situation, you may qualify for:
No. Illinois workers’ compensation does not separately compensate an injured worker for pain and suffering. However, a third-party personal injury claim may allow recovery of non-economic damages such as pain and suffering.
Usually, yes. Illinois workers' comp is a no-fault system, so a mistake on your part generally does not block medical or wage benefits.
Fault matters more in a third-party lawsuit. Under the Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions on comparative fault, a person found more than 50% at fault recovers nothing, while fault of 50% or less reduces damages in proportion.
Illinois prohibits employers from harassing, firing, refusing to rehire, or discriminating against you for exercising your workers' comp rights. That conduct may support a separate lawsuit in circuit court. Employers may still discipline workers for other valid reasons.
Knowing your rights is one thing; getting the insurer to honor them is another. When checks stop or treatment is denied, Herbert Rosner Connelly Law Firm can request an emergency hearing, challenge the insurer's medical opinions, and document every benefit available under the law.
Illinois generally limits a workers' comp attorney's fee to 20% of the compensation recovered. Call us today for a free case evaluation.
Chicago-specific cause data is not published, but statewide numbers show where serious risks lie. Of the 156 fatal work injuries in Illinois in 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics attributed most to the following events:
Our team also handles construction accident claims involving falls, machinery, and outside contractors.
Workers generally give up the right to file a civil lawsuit against their employer in exchange for prompt, no-fault benefits. If your employer lacked required workers' comp insurance, however, you may be able to file suit in civil court.
A negligent outside party, such as another driver, an equipment manufacturer, or a property owner, can also face a third-party personal injury claim. Under Section 5(b) of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act, your employer is reimbursed from that recovery for benefits it paid and generally pays 25% of its reimbursement toward your attorney's fees.
Our results include a $100,000 settlement for an on-duty officer whose squad car was struck.
Railroad workers often pursue injury claims under the Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA), which follows different rules than Illinois workers' comp. Our firm also handles FELA claims for railroad workers.
At the Commission, the injured worker carries the burden of proof. According to the Commission's handbook on workers' compensation, you must establish each of the following:
Strong claims rest on consistent records created close to the injury, such as:
The Commission's Chicago office is at 69 W. Washington St. A Cook County claim typically moves through these stages:
In fiscal year 2024, 87% of closed cases ended in settlement. Every settlement needs Commission approval and generally ends future medical and cash benefits unless it states otherwise.
Missing a deadline can end your right to future benefits. Under Section 6 of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act and related law, keep these time limits in mind:
A work injury can upend your paycheck and your health, but you do not have to face the insurance company alone. Herbert Rosner Connelly Law Firm represents injured workers from our Chicago office at 65 W. Jackson Blvd., Box 223.
Talk with a Chicago workers' comp lawyer about your benefits, your deadlines, and your options. Call us today to schedule a free case evaluation.
