What To Do If You're Injured On The
Job In Illinois 
What you should do immediately after your injury:
Give notice of your accident to your employer. As soon as possible after your accident, let your employer know orally and in writing. Keep a copy of the notice for your records.
See a doctor. Be sure to give the doctor a detailed and accurate account of how the accident happened and all of your complaints.
See an attorney who practices Workers’ Compensation Law. A lawyer who is familiar with the rules and laws regarding Workers’ Compensation will be able to guide and advise you in a manner that protects your rights.
What are your rights?
The right to reasonable and necessary medical care. The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act provides the Employer shall pay for all reasonable and necessary medical, surgical and hospital services required to treat the injury. This includes such things as physical and vocational rehabilitation. You are also entitled to two doctors of your choice with unlimited referrals from these two doctors.
The right to weekly payment for the time the injured worker is temporarily totally disabled. The best way to prove temporary total disability is with a doctor’s slip. If an injured worker misses more than 3 working days, then she is entitled to temporary total disability payments. The employee is not entitled to payment for the initial 3 days missed unless he misses 14 or more days of work because of his injury. The amount of temporary total disability is two-thirds of the employee’s average weekly wage.
The right to compensation for any permanent disability the worker may suffer. When an injured worker’s condition has finally stabilized, she is entitled to compensation for the permanent disability the injured caused. The amount of recovery is based on 60 percent of the average weekly wage times a percentage of the number of weeks set forth in the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act for certain body parts. There is no schedule of awards for types of injuries as exist in some states. The compensation is determined through an arbitration proceeding or through negotiations of the parties.
Under the Illinois law, you may be entitled to life time compensation if you can no longer work because of your injury. In addition, you may be entitled to life time medical benefits if you win at arbitration and the future medical needs are related to your original injury.
When you settle your case you waive your rights to future compensation and medical benefits.
If you need help with your case, or wonder if your settlement offer is fair please feel free to call Attorney Dirk May at 309-827-4371. I will be glad to discuss your case with you.
Many thanks to Jean Swee for allowing a condensed version of her report to appear on this website.