Workers' Compensation

Our workers’ compensation group provides insured and self-insured clients, as well as insurers, the highest level of legal services through extensive experience in a diverse range of industries. Our attorneys offer the expertise necessary to custom-tailor legal solutions to meet each client’s business objectives. Our knowledge of litigation combined with a practical business approach offers client-centered services in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Once sufficient medical and factual information is developed, our attorneys immediately provide trial and settlement values along with the probabilities of success on each contested issue. Our thorough knowledge of arbitrators, commissioners, opposing counsel, and the law is combined with an analysis of the facts and circumstances of each claim to develop a plan that meets the needs of our clients. 

Our  group members understand that workers’ compensation claim resolution often requires consideration of human resource needs and related legal areas such as ADA, FMLA, retaliatory discharge, and discriminatory practices. Because our workers’ compensation attorneys also have jury trial experience, they are uniquely qualified to protect liens through intervention, defend contribution actions against the employer, and pursue civil fraud actions in circuit court.

Our attorneys develop a comprehensive understanding of the businesses and industries in which our clients operate and we understand the effect workers’ compensation disputes have on an employer’s ability to conduct business. In addition to defending workers’ compensation claims, we counsel our clients on developing and implementing solid practices to avoid future cases.  Our team works closely with the full labor and employment group, to successfully counsel clients in termination, disciplinary and litigation issues before litigation arises as well as during the litigation process through appeals.

Areas of Practice

We defend claims before the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, the circuit court and the appellate court. Our attorneys counsel clients in the following areas:

• Loss Prevention
• Risk Management
• Safety
• OSHA/Toxic Tort

Consultation Services

• Network partnership to brokers, businesses
  • Insurance coverage analysis (overlaps and gaps in programs)
  • Claims handling
  • Analysis of loss ratio evaluation
  • Policy drafting
• Employers
  • Insurance coverage analysis
  • Subrogation/lien protection
  • Third party defense/tenders of defense
  • Employment policies analysis and drafting
    • Leaves/lost time
    • Discipline/separation
  • Risk analysis

Litigation Services

• Declaratory judgments
• Intervention in 3rd party litigation
• Discovery actions and consulting on preparation therefore
• Defending claims before:
  • IWCC through Circuit, Appellate, and Supreme Courts
  • The courts in
    • Retaliatory discharge
    • FELA
  • Administrative agency for EEOC/IDFR agency level actions

Contractual Services

• Indemnity agreements
• Independent contractor status
  • Review and revise agreements
  • Workers’ compensation status 
• Construction and transportation business’s needs 

Industries

Our attorneys have handled workers’ compensation claims in a variety of industries, such as: 

• Food processing
• Hospitals
• Extended care and treatment facilities
• Messenger services
• Municipalities
• Packaging
• Petroleum
• Pharmaceuticals
• Printing
• Retailers
• Schools
• Temporary employment agency
• Transportation
• Restaurants
• Liquor/Beer distributors
• Landscaping
• Construction
• Automobile manufacturing and assembly/distribution