Find Lawyers in Illinois, United States for Workers' Compensation Law - Claimants
Practice Area Overview
Workers’ compensation laws have been in existence since the beginning of the 20th century. In Pennsylvania, for example, the first Workers’ Compensation Act was enacted in 1915 and required an amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution.
The Workers’ Compensation laws differ from state to state. Some programs are state run while others require insurance coverage. Some states provide for a specific program of benefits for lost wages and medical coverage. Other states may limit the amount of benefits available based upon a medically determined degree of impairment.
In any event, despite the fact that workers’ compensation laws are “humanitarian” in nature and the benefits are to be readily available to the injured worker, it is imperative that the injured worker consult with an attorney with special expertise in the area of workers’ compensation law. An attorney can assist the employee in insuring that the benefit rate is properly calculated; that appropriate medical treatment is being provided; and the rights of the injured worker are protected. Counsel also will be invaluable in ensuring that workers’ compensation benefits are coordinated with other available benefit programs. For example, workers’ compensation benefits may be received along with Social Security Disability Insurance benefits; in certain circumstances benefits may be available under the injured worker’s automobile insurance policy; workers’ compensation benefits need to be coordinated with unemployment compensation benefits and various non-workers’ compensation programs that are available through the employer or by law.
Despite the laudatory nature of workers’ compensation programs, employers and insurance carriers avail themselves of the legal means by which to reduce benefits that are otherwise payable. As a result, counsel should be retained as soon as possible during the process to ensure the proper payment of benefits and to avoid litigation. Counsel also can be invaluable in negotiating a compromise of the workers’ compensation claim in the appropriate circumstances. With the assistance of an attorney, the injured worker will be able to obtain all available benefits in an effort to maximize recovery. In this manner, the injured worker and the injured worker’s family will be best protected.
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Cities
Philip A. Bareck has been with Katz Friedman since 1991, became a partner in 2003, and a shareholder in 2007. Currently, he is an Adjunct Professor at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law teaching Workers' Compensation Law, has been selected as an Illinois Super Lawyer (5% of the attorneys in Illinois), included in Best Lawyers in Workers’ Compensation Law, awarded inclusion in Top Trial Lawyers (American Trial Lawyers Association top 100 Trial Lawyers for Illinois), Top Attorneys in Illinoi...
Peter J. Flowers believes a hands-on approach is the only way to handle delicate cases involving serious injury and death. A partner in the firm of Meyers & Flowers, Pete has represented countless families whose lives have been tragically changed because of medical malpractice, catastrophic injuries from workplace injuries and automobile accidents, and from defective products. He has also represented the victims and families of victims of nursing home abuse and of sexual abuse. His attent...
Michelle M. Kohut is a Chicago personal injury trial lawyer and was named Partner at Corboy & Demetrio in 2019. She practices in all areas of personal injury law, including cases arising from automobile collisions, medical malpractice, construction negligence, premises liability, product liability and railroad negligence, as well as in the area of workers' compensation. Michelle has tried many personal injury cases to verdict and has obtained numerous multi-million dollar settlements on b...
Vitas Mockaitis has 32 years of experience handling Illinois workers’ compensation claims. Respected as a leading trial lawyer, Vitas Mockaitis has briefed and successfully argued many cases before the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission during the course of his distinguished career. With his extensive knowledge and experience in workers’ compensation law and related fields of legal practice, Mr. Mockaitis has presented numerous seminars on the theme of injured workers...
John M. Popelka focuses his practice exclusively representing public and private sector clients in the area of Workers’ Compensation law. Equally comfortable in the courtroom and at the negotiating table, a significant portion of his practice involves litigating and settling claims for union workers who suffer career-ending injuries, permanent total disability, catastrophic injuries requiring home modification and lifetime medical care, and death cases. John joined Anesi Ozmon in 1993, ...
Antonio M. Romanucci is a principal and partner in the Chicago based law firm of Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, where he focuses his practice on catastrophic personal injuries arising from medical malpractice, construction and other workplace accidents, nursing home negligence, aviation disasters and police misconduct cases, including civil rights actions. His passion for fighting on behalf of injured victims and their families was sparked when his best friend from high school suffered a fatal...
Frank A. Sommario is a Partner at Romanucci & Blandin, LLC in Chicago, where he practices as a petitioner's workers' compensation lawyer. Frank was admitted to the Bar in Illinois (2000), Minnesota (2001), and District of Columbia (2001). He received his Juris Doctorate from DePaul University College of Law in 2000. He is a Certified Public Accountant (1998), who received his Bachelor’s degree in Commerce/Accounting from DePaul University in 1997. He became a Registered Investment A...
You often hear the saying “work your way up,” a success story Lauren Edmunds truly embodies as she started her career with Meyers & Flowers at just 19 years old as an intern. Now over half a decade later, Lauren’s determination and ambition earned her the title of Associate Attorney at Meyers & Flowers. While working towards her bachelor’s degree at North Central College, she would spend her evenings in class and her days at Meyers & Flowers learning the pe...
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