Providing Legal Representation for those Hurt at Work, St. Francois County, MO
Workers Comp Lawyer
Workers Comp Lawyer St. Francois County, MO. After a hardworking individual suffers an injury while on the job, they shouldn’t have to worry about how they will provide for themselves and their family. Drummond Law supplies legal guidance to injured workers in St. Francois County, MO. Whether you were hurt in a slip and fall accident, on account of heavy machinery or equipment, or exposure to toxic chemicals, our talented and experienced workers comp lawyer staff near St. Francois County, MO, is passionate about protecting you and your family in St. Francois County, MO, after a workplace accident.
If you sustained injuries in a work-related accident and need help getting compensation for your injuries, call our Drummond Law workers comp lawyer today at 800-842-0426 or contact us online for a no-risk consultation. Our Southern Illinois workers compensation firm also offers Social Security Disability assistance, as well as several other areas of practice.
Drummond Law has represented workers’ compensation claims in Southern Illinois near St. Francois County, MO, since 1976. Our lawyers have the resources necessary to get you and your family through these trying times. If you are a victim of a work-related accident and need a knowledgeable workers comp lawyer near St. Francois County, MO, to represent your case, connect with Drummond Law now or call us at 800-842-0426 for a free case review.
St. Francois County, MO Workers Comp Lawyer: Illinois Workers Comp Claims
There are varying ways that a person can sustain injuries in a work-related accident. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the majority of job-related deaths take place in occupations involving manual labor, like agriculture, forestry, mining, construction, and transportation.
A study published in 2020 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, and analyzed by Eastern Kentucky University, identified these most common workers comp injuries, along with the percentage of total, national workers’ comp claims:
- Strains (30.06% of workers’ comp claims)
- Contusions (20.83% of claims)
- Lacerations (11.79% of claims)
- Sprains (8.85% of claims)
- Punctures (5.50% of claims)
However, other hazards can be prevalent on the job. Employees such as healthcare personnel, sanitation workers, factory employees, or construction workers are exposed to dangerous occupational hazards, possibly on a daily basis, that can result in occupational disease. Our savvy workers comp lawyer at Drummond Law can help prove occupational illness. Call us now at 800-842-0426 or contact us online.
St. Francois County, MO Workers Comp Lawyer: What is an Occupational Disease?
According to Illinois statutory law, an employee is deemed to have contracted an occupational disease when they sustained an illness after being exposed to hazards in the workplace. While the statute doesn’t outright define the diseases, the condition must have become debilitating due to a task at hand that the job requires. Dangers in the workplace that can lead to an occupational illness include:
- Chemical or radioactive exposure
- Gasoline, fuel, or other diesel exposure
- Factory smoke
- Particles in the air from construction
- Latex allergens
- Bloodborne infectious diseases
According to the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC), as well as data from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), nearly 30 percent of all adult asthma and COPD cases directly correlate to occupational diseases. The NIOSH states that more than 20 million U.S. employees work in a setting that places them at risk for airway diseases. Common occupational diseases our workers comp lawyer has seen near St. Francois County, MO are:
In addition to our knowledgeable workers comp lawyer team, Drummond Law provides our St. Francois County, MO clients the following legal services:
- Disability Attorney
- Lawyers for Disability
- VA Lawyers
- SSI Lawyers
- Disability Attorneys
- VA Disability Lawyers
- Social Security Disability Attorneys
- Personal Injury Claims
- Work Comp Attorney
- Injury Attorney
St. Francois County, MO Workers Comp Lawyer: Workers Compensation Costs
The costs associated with work injuries are astronomical. In the latest data from the National Safety Council the total cost of work injuries was $171 billion in 2019, amounting to $1,100 per worker and $1.2 million per death. The total includes wage and productivity losses ($53.9 billion), medical expenses ($35.5 billion), administrative expenses ($59.7 billion), and employers’ uninsured costs ($13.3 billion).
According to recent data from the National Council on Compensation Insurance, the average cost for all workers’ compensation claims in 2018-2019 was $42,008. In accompanying data from the NSC, the most costly lost-time workers’ compensation claims result from:
- Motor Vehicle Crashes (averaging $81,971)
- Burns ($58,284)
- Falls or Slips ($47,681)
- Caught ($45,255)
- Struck By ($39,509)
- Miscellaneous Cause ($36,414)
No work injury is ever too minor, and you should never minimize them. Some injuries, such as whiplash and back pain can have delayed symptoms and take weeks to present themselves after an accident. After a work-related accident, it’s important|essential to document your injuries and symptoms. Here are important steps to follow:
- Notify your manager, human resources representative, or employer about the injury — Also, insist that they fill out an accident report. It is also good practice to send them a notice detailing the accident and the injury in writing.
- Get medical treatment as soon as you can — Inform the doctor that the injury happened while at work and tell them the name of your employer. Also, be sure to follow all of the doctor’s orders for treatment, because failure to do so may jeopardize your claim.
- Obtain ALL copies of present and past medical reports — No piece of information is unimportant when it comes to your health and wellness.
- File an Application for Adjustment of Claim — If you feel your employer may resist paying for your treatments now or in the future, you will want to have your workers comp lawyer at Drummond Law near St. Francois County, MO, file this form.
- Make sure that your employer reports your injury to the workers’ compensation insurance company — They’ll review your claim and you will receive either an approval or contest of the claim.
- Speak to a qualified work comp lawyer in St. Francois County, MO — Our law firm handles workers’ compensation claims against private industry, state and local government employers, and more.
The Drummond Law workers comp lawyers near St. Francois County, MO understand how difficult it can be to sustain injuries in a workplace accident and are ready to offer legal guidance and access to whatever resources you need during these trying times. Give us a call now at 800-842-0426 or contact us online.
St. Francois County, MO Workers Comp Lawyer: Compensation Settlements
Workers compensation settlements in Southern Illinois can vary drastically, with some claims receiving thousands of dollars. If you need a workers comp lawyer in Southern Illinois to represent your workers comp claim, call 800-842-0426 or contact Drummond Law near St. Francois County, MO, today for a risk-free consultation. Our attorneys will do everything in their power to recover SSD and SSI benefits for your claim in St. Francois County, MO, as well.
The statute of limitations for workers’ compensation claims is different in each state. In Illinois, employees injured at work have three years from the date of an accident to file a workers’ compensation claim, or two years from the last date that you received disability pay or a medical bill was paid for you. In Missouri, you have two years from the date of the accident. After these time frames expire however, victims in St. Francois County, MO, regardless of their injuries, forfeit all rights to SSD or SSI benefits. If you have any questions about statutory laws, or any questions for that matter, give us a call at 800-842-0426 or contact us online.
Listed below are some of the most common damages recovered in workers comp claims near St. Francois County, MO:
- Medical Care: Compensation for medical care associated with work-related injuries. After a work accident, you need to hold on to any medical bills, medication receipts, and other documentation of treatment for your injuries near St. Francois County, MO.
- Vocational Rehabilitation: Illinois law allows workers comp victims to recover reimbursement for vocational rehabilitation. For example, if you’re unable to continue your job because of your injuries, your employer will pay for you to study a new trade near St. Francois County, MO, until you find a suitable job replacement.
- Mileage Reimbursement: Depending on the severity of your injuries, you might need to visit several treating physicians nowhere near St. Francois County, MO, throughout the workers’ compensation claim process. You can receive reimbursement for mileage in Illinois.
- Pain and Suffering: Ongoing mental, emotional, or physical distress from the accident; distress can be proven with an assessment from a therapist, psychiatrist, or other medical personnel.
- Lost Wages: If you experienced lost wages after a work-related accident, and are having a challenging time being approved for SSD near St. Francois County, MO, a workers comp lawyer at Drummond Law in Southern Illinois near St. Francois County, MO, can help you make a compelling claim for lost wages attributed to the accident
To maximize the number of damages you can recover, it’s essential to consult a workers comp lawyer near St. Francois County, MO, at the first sign of any trouble with your workers’ compensation claim. Drummond Law fights for the rights of injured workers and is available to answer any questions or concerns that you might have about your work injury claim. Call us now at 800-842-0426 or contact us.
St. Francois County, MO Workers Comp Lawyer | Drummond Law in Litchfield, IL
If you suffered injuries in a slip and fall accident near St. Francois County, MO, because of heavy equipment or machinery, or due to your employer’s negligence, you could be entitled to partial or total social security disability benefits, depending on the nature of your injuries. Our workers comp attorneys near St. Francois County, MO can help you navigate the workers’ compensation process and bring a strong claim against your employer for damages.
The Drummond Law workers comp lawyer team has over 40 years of experience fighting for our St. Francois County, MO clients who were hurt while at work. That should never happen. To speak with our workers comp lawyer for a free case review in St. Francois County, MO, don’t hesitate to contact us or call today at at 800-842-0426.