Aarti Aunty

Fresh Principles Impacting on Illinois Workers’ Compensation Legal professionals

What is your hand worth? According to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, the maximum value of a hand lost at the office (for a worker who makes the average Illinois annual salary of $42,754.40) is $168,551, whereas that same hand could be worth $156,218 in Iowa and $143,885 in Nebraska.

In Illinois workers’ compensation law, the worth of human parts of the body is determined by an actuarial analysis of probabilities and future values of injuries. workers compensation attorney The values are continually adjusted to keep up with inflation and changes in the economy. The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission uses the fixed values of parts of the body in order to strike a good balance between compensating workers without driving insurance companies into financial ruin.

Workers’ Compensation Overview

Workers’ compensation is among the first types of tort reform enacted in the United States. Before workers’ compensation law, people hurt at the office were confronted with two unpleasant alternatives: (1) they might either file lawsuits against their employers or (2) they might suck it up and pay for their own injuries.

Now, employers in most state but Texas are expected to keep workers’ compensation insurance. When folks are injured at the office, it is practically as easy to file claims of their states’ workers’ compensation systems, since it would be to file insurance claims after car accidents.

So as to make sure that injured workers, employers and insurance companies are all treated fairly, the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission continually makes changes to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act.

Below can be an overview of the most up-to-date group of changes to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act, which took devote July of 2005.

Fraud Statute Established

Any party associated with committing fraud concerning a workers’ compensation dispute is guilty of a Class 4 felony and must pay complete restitution along with a fine. In addition, people who knowingly receive benefits by making false workers’ compensation claims may be liable for either three times the worth of benefits wrongfully obtained or twice the worth of coverage attempted, plus attorney fees required to bring the claim.

Penalties Increased for Uninsured Employers

Employers who fail to buy workers’ compensation insurance are guilty of fabricating an instantaneous and serious danger to public health. As a consequence, a work stop order may be imposed, requiring the cessation of most business operations before employer obtains proof of workers’ compensation insurance.

Furthermore, a knowing failure of an employer to provide workers’ compensation insurance coverage is known as a Class 4 felony, and each day’s violation is really a separate offense.

Medical Fee Schedule Established

The Commission has established a medical fee schedule, setting maximum medical fees that employers are liable for. The maximum fees are 90% of the 80th percentile of charges in a particular geographic area. In case a worker’s medical bills are significantly less than what’s established by the fee schedule, then your employee will receive full workers’ compensation coverage for those bills.

Benefits Increased and Changed

The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission sets maximum compensation for specific work injuries. At the time of February of 2006, the maximum compensation that a worker can receive as the consequence of a death injury is the higher of $500,000 or 25 years worth of salary. This is higher than the previous maximum (the greater of $250,000 or 20 years).

Expedited Hearings

When a hurt worker isn’t receiving any compensation for an accident from their employer, that worker can request an expedited hearing. An employer also can request an expedited hearing in case a worker continues receiving compensation until a judgment is rendered and the employee has been released back once again to work.

Utilization Review Established

If an employer has reason to trust that the inured workers’ medical treatment was unnecessary or unreasonable, the employer can have the case evaluated at a utilization review. In order to qualify for a utilization review, employers must register with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation once every two years.

Happy Employees, Employers and Insurance Companies

The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission strives to achieve fair results for many parties associated with work injuries. Illinois workers compensation laws benefit employees by providing fast compensation for injuries minus the stress of filing lawsuits. Employers take advantage of workers’ compensation insurance coverage, because it eliminates the chance of lawsuits brought by injured employees. Even insurance companies take advantage of workers’ compensation law, because it sets maximum rates, which reduces the odds of unreasonable payouts. Furthermore, when insurance premiums paid by employers are invested at favorable rates, insurance companies can actually stand to get the most from the Illinois Workers’ Compensation system.

By continually adjusting the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act, the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission is reaching fair results for anyone associated with work injuries.