What’s your hand worth? In line with 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 worthiness of human areas of the body is set by an actuarial analysis of probabilities and future values of injuries. workers compensation attorney The values are continually adjusted to maintain with inflation and changes in the economy. The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission uses the fixed values of areas of the body to be able to strike a fair balance between compensating workers without driving insurance companies into financial ruin.

Workers’ Compensation Overview

Workers’ compensation is one of 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 may either file lawsuits against their employers or (2) they may suck it down and purchase their very own injuries.

Now, employers in most state but Texas are expected to hold workers’ compensation insurance. When individuals are injured at the office, it is practically as an easy task to file claims inside their states’ workers’ compensation systems, since it is 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 is an overview of the most recent group of changes to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act, which took place in July of 2005.

Fraud Statute Established

Any party associated with committing fraud associated with a workers’ compensation dispute is guilty of a Class 4 felony and must pay complete restitution as well as a fine. In addition, those who knowingly receive benefits by making false workers’ compensation claims could be liable for either 3 x the worthiness of benefits wrongfully obtained or twice the worthiness of coverage attempted, plus attorney fees required to create the claim.

Penalties Increased for Uninsured Employers

Employers who fail to get workers’ compensation insurance are guilty of fabricating a sudden and serious danger to public health. As a consequence, a work stop order could be imposed, requiring the cessation of all business operations before employer obtains evidence 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 constitutes 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 utmost fees are 90% of the 80th percentile of charges in a particular geographic area. If your worker’s medical bills are significantly less than what is established by the fee schedule, then a 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 greater of $500,000 or 25 years worth of salary. This is higher compared to the previous maximum (the greater of $250,000 or 20 years).

Expedited Hearings

When a wounded worker isn’t receiving any compensation for a personal injury from his or her 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 think that an inured workers’ medical treatment was unnecessary or unreasonable, the employer may have the case evaluated at a utilization review. To be able 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 attain fair results for many parties associated with work injuries. Illinois workers compensation laws benefit employees by providing fast compensation for injuries with no stress of filing lawsuits. Employers benefit from workers’ compensation insurance coverage, because it eliminates the danger of lawsuits brought by injured employees. Even insurance companies benefit from 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 in fact stand to gain 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.