Chicago Workers' Compensation Attorney Blog

As the number of workplace fatalities and injuries continue to tick downward in a decade-long trend nationwide, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that the number of American workers who lost time at work due to an injury hovers around 1.1 million cases out of 3.7 million reportable incidents.

Additionally, the BLS found that 4,340 Americans lost their lives while simply doing their job in 2009.

A total of 193 workers were killed in Illinois work accidents, with most fatalities occurring in management or professional occupations, construction, production and transportation.

For another 95,500 Illinois workers, on-the-job injuries resulted in reduced work hours, job transfers or restrictions, a 2007 survey produced by the Illinois Department of Public Heath reports.

So while incidents of death or injury on the job continue to drop, influenced in part by a flagging economy and surging rates of joblessness, thousands of Illinois workers sustained a workplace injury severe enough to require time off, while nearly another 200 workers lost their lives.

If you have been injured or someone you know has been injured or killed in a Chicago-area work-related accident, speaking with an experienced Chicago workers’ compensation attorney can help you better navigate workers compensation law.

Rates of workplace homicides have fallen by 50 percent since 1994 with 521 deaths recorded nationally in 2009. About 80 percent of work-related homicides were shooting incidents. Work-related suicides are also seeing a drop of nearly 10 percent since 2008, and even the sales of workers’ compensation insurance policies are seeing a decline for the third consecutive year, Bloomberg.com reported.

If you would like to discuss your workers' compensation rights fully, or if you feel that you have been unfairly denied benefits that you legitimately qualify for, we would appreciate the opportunity to evaluate your situation. Our experienced workers' compensation attorneys may be able to assist you through the various stages on the appeals process and negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf.