An estimated 60,825 firefighter injuries occurred in the line of duty in 2019. Firefighters were more likely to be injured at fireground operations than other types of duties. In 2019, 23,825 injuries, or 39 percent of all reported firefighter injuries, occurred at the fireground. In addition to injuries, there were 7,675 documented exposures to infectious diseases, 15,350 collisions involved fire department emergency vehicles responding to or returning from incidents, and 24,525 exposures to hazardous conditions. There are few occupations that have the same level of potential risk as firefighting.

Firefighters who are injured on-the-job in Illinois are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, with exceptions for firefighters employed by the City of Chicago. These benefits provide medical, temporary disability, permanent disability and death benefits. Since firefighting is a particularly dangerous occupation with known risks, the workers’ compensation rules that apply to Illinois firefighters are often tailored to these risks and the special needs firefighters have when an injury occurs.

A few common the on-the-job injuries a firefighter faces each day are:

– Severe burns
– Motor vehicle accidents
– Repetitive stress injuries
– Cancer (from smoke inhalation)
– Exposure to toxic chemicals
– Heart conditions
– Hearing loss
– Broken bones
– Hernias
– Pneumonia

If you or a loved one was injured in the performance of firefighting duties, let us help you. Our attorneys have experience resolving the common problems associated with workers’ compensation claims for Illinois firefighters.

At Krol, Bongiorno & Given, we understand that many families depend on the income of injured firefighters, and we are proud of our record protecting the injured Illinois firefighters. For immediate help with a work injury case call (312) 726-5567 for a free consultation or contact us online.