Workers’ Compensation Claim Statistics in Illinois

 Posted on March 07, 2019 in Workers' Compensation

Workers’ compensation claims can cover work-related injuries for a wide variety of reasons. Injuries at work will often qualify you to receive compensation and benefits, so it is vital to understand the background on workers’ compensation claims in Illinois. Using these statistics to have a discussion with your personal injury lawyer about the best course of action for your case will be beneficial to all who need to file a workers’ compensation claim.

The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission releases a report on the workers’ compensation claims and the results of those claims filed in Illinois every year. The report filed in 2017 for injuries occurring in 2016 states that there were just over 200,000 instances of workers reporting injuries to their employers in Illinois during 2016, with 45,000 claims filed by the employees to the worker’s compensation commission. Here are some of the key takeaways from that report.

Most Common Reasons for On-The-Job Injuries

The commission’s report states that overexertion and bodily reaction are the most common cause of work-related injuries by a wide margin. The five most common reasons below overexertion are: slip and falls, vehicle collisions, workplace violence, being exposed to dangerous substances or conditions, or contact with a part of the equipment or an object.

Location, Location, Location

Just under 38% of the claims filed to the commission in 2017 were located in Chicago. This number makes sense because Chicago does make up a good portion of the state of Illinois population.

Denial of Benefits Often Leads to Appeal

Almost half of all employees that do not get benefits from their claim after arbitration decide they would like to file an appeal to the commissioner. Out of those appeals, the commissioner gives a decision in approximately 1,000 cases, about 400 cases end up settling, and 100 are denied outright.

The Majority of Cases Settle

The report states that around 40,000 of the 45,000 claims filed in the state of Illinois end in settlements. If an employer or their insurance company do not allow a worker to receive compensation for their injury and the employee decides they want to work on a claim with the Commission, it will likely end in a settlement, with an almost 90% likelihood.

Contact a Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Workplace injuries happen to many people every year. If you have been injured in a workplace accident and would like to file a workers’ compensation claim,contact a Bloomingdale personal injury lawyer to represent you. The lawyers at The Law Offices of David W. Clark, P.C.have obtained many multi-million dollar settlements for an array of workers’ compensation and personal injury cases. Get in touch with us today to schedule a free initial consultation at 630-665-5678.

Source:

https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/iwcc/Documents/2016AnnualReport.pdf