If you work in Illinois and you are injured on the job, you are entitled to collect workers’ compensation benefits. If your injury is somewhat serious, preventing you from returning to work for an extended period or permanently limiting what job responsibilities you can accomplish, it is wise to enlist the help of a workers’ compensation lawyer. Worker’s comp cases may take weeks, months or possibly more than a year to reach a settlement.

Worker’s comp cases often depend on the extent of the employee’s injuries or illness and the amount of time required for a full recovery. After the worker reaches maximum medical improvement, all parties will negotiate the final settlement. If the parties can’t agree on a fair settlement, then the case may go into legal proceedings. At that point, the negotiations may go back and forth until the parties reach a settlement or decide to go to court.

Since you only get one chance, you need to make sure you do it right. Hiring a lawyer can sometimes extend the length of workers’ compensation cases. This is because attorneys offer more tools to challenge the insurance companies and help you receive more benefits. Lawyers are able to file motions, negotiate with the insurance companies, and help you obtain second opinions on your medical condition. While all of these activities require more time, they also maximize the chances of a favorable outcome and maximize the value of your claim.

At Krol, Bongiorno & Given, we have handled well over 30,000 claims for injured workers throughout the state of Illinois. For immediate help with a work injury case, call (312) 726-5567 for a free consultation or contact us online.