Preventable injuries cause harm to about one person in America every second, according to the National Safety Council. Approximately 442 people lose their lives every day because of the negligence or intentional behaviors of someone else. Motor vehicle accidents, slips and falls, and work-related injuries account for the largest portion of preventable injuries and deaths.
Injuries affect infants, adults, and the elderly: no one is immune from the effects of recklessness, incompetence, and deliberate acts. Unless proper legal steps are taken after an accident, your ability to recover compensation for your injuries may be compromised. The personal injury lawyers at DePaolo & Zadeikis are here to help make sure that doesn’t happen to you.
Our lawyers work hard to make sure you are fully compensated for your severe injuries.
The injury lawyers at DePaolo & Zadeikis focus on the following types of cases.
Illinois Workers’ Compensation Claims
Our workers’ compensation attorneys will fight for your legal right to be financially compensated when you are injured on the job. Employers in Illinois are required to hold workers’ compensation insurance to protect injured workers and they are prohibited from retaliating against your for filing a workers’ compensation claim. Employees like you experience a wide range of injuries and illnesses while working in Illinois. While dangerous occupations make up a large percentage of work-related accidents, you can suffer severe physical and emotional injuries at any type of job. Slip and fall accident, unsafe equipment, chemical exposure, workplace violence, and other types of dangerous conditions can happen in many workplaces. Whether you’re an office worker or retail clerk, a construction worker, employed in manufacturing, or a healthcare provider, our workers’ compensation lawyers will work hard to make sure you are fully compensated for workplace accidents.
Workers’ compensation pays for the medical costs of job-related injuries and diseases. Almost all workers in Illinois are covered. Coverage begins when employment starts.
The types of coverage you may receive includes temporary total disability (TTD) benefits, temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits, permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits, and permanent total (PTD) benefits.
In addition to these benefits, you may also be entitled to lost wages, a wage-loss differential, and vocational training.
Personal Injury Cases
Personal injury cases include most injuries that happen outside the workplace. It is critical that you consult with our personal injury lawyers as soon as possible. We will protect you from the insurance companies, ensure you’re getting proper medical treatment, and hold all responsible parties accountable. And remember, there’s never a fee for our services unless we collect on your behalf.
Here are some of the more common types of cases we handle:
Motor-Vehicle Accidents – Thousands of motor-vehicle accidents occur on Illinois roads every year. Whether it was a fender bender that caused minimal property damage or a major crash, the effects can leave you disabled, disfigured, and unable to work or enjoy life the way you previously did. When you’ve experienced a car, truck, motorcycle, or boating crash that caused injuries or death of a loved one, life will never be the same. Although no amount of money can turn back the clock, financial compensation can help pay for necessary treatments, cover daily expenses that lost wages will no longer cover, and relieve some of the stress that accompanies these major changes in your life.
Slip and Falls—Premises Liability – Slip and fall injuries are among the most common personal injury cases. Whether it happens at a Wal-Mart, in a parking lot, or at a neighbor’s house, the owner of the property may be held liable for damages if the owner didn’t take necessary precautions to keep the property free from dangerous conditions or, at a minimum, properly warn off the hazard.
Slip and falls can happen indoors or out, on private property or public, like on a wet floor in a shopping center. If the property owner knew or should have known of the dangerous condition, there will likely be liability.
Slip and fall cases can get complicated quickly. We can sometimes discover responsible defendants that aren’t obvious to the injured person. That’s why after a slip and fall, it is so important to contact our office as soon as you’re medically able.
Whether you are injured at work, in a motor-vehicle accident, or because of another traumatic event, go to the emergency room first, and then call us. Don’t jeopardize your ability to recover appropriate compensation by talking to the insurance company. Adjustors are paid to minimize your injuries and collect information that may cause your claim to be denied or convince you to accept less than your case is worth.
What Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits Are Available in Illinois?
A wide range of workers’ compensation benefits may be available to you if you suffered on-the-job injuries in Illinois. The types of benefits workers may receive in a workers’ compensation claim include, but are not limited to:
Medical Bills
Workers’ compensation pays for the medical expenses caused by job-related injuries and diseases. This includes, but is not limited to, necessary medical treatment, surgeries, medical equipment, hospital stays, and prescription medications.
Temporary Partial Disability Benefits (TPD)
Temporary partial disability benefits pay a portion of lost wages when an employee is able to work at less than full capacity, but the work injuries are temporary. If you are able to return to work on light duty, or you’re working fewer hours because of your injury, you can recover two-third of the difference between your current wages and your pre-accident wages.
Temporary Total Disability Benefits (TTD)
Temporary total disability benefits are designed to compensate injured workers who are temporarily unable to return to work at all because of their accident. If you are unable to perform the duties of your regular job, and your employer cannot provide you with a position that accommodates your physical limitations, you can recover up to two-thirds of your average weekly wage before you were injured.
Permanent Partial Disability Benefits (PPD)
Permanent partial disability benefits are designed for workers who suffer permanent work-related injuries, but can still work at less than full capacity. These benefits may include wage-differential benefits, scheduled loss-of-use awards, non-scheduled awards, and disfigurement benefits.
Permanent Total Disability Benefits (PTD)
Permanent total disability benefits are for the most severely injured workers whose injuries will prevent them from working permanently. Once your doctor determines that you have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI), if you are left with a permanent total disability, you can receive PTD benefits at the same rate as your TTD benefits for the rest of your life.
Vocational Rehabilitation and Maintenance Benefits
If you can no longer perform the duties of your pre-accident job, you may qualify for vocational rehabilitation that could include job counseling, education, and training. If you attend an approved vocational retraining program, you may also receive maintenance payments equal to your TTD rate.
Death Benefits
If your loved one died because of a work-related injury or occupational illness, you may be entitled to death benefits. As the surviving spouse, child, or other dependent, you can receive two-thirds of the deceased worker’s average weekly wage. Additionally, you may qualify to receive up to $8,000 to help cover burial costs.
If a third party contributed to your workplace accident, you may be able to recover additional compensation as well. In some situations, third party liability enables injured victims to file a personal injury lawsuit in addition to recovering through a workers’ compensation claim. Our Chicago workers’ compensation lawyers will fight for your legal right to recover full and fair compensation when you suffer workplace injuries.
Personal Injury Cases
Personal injury cases involve most types of injuries that happen outside the workplace because of someone else’s negligence. Although some types of injuries heal fairly quickly, others require ongoing medical treatment, multiple surgeries, and expensive medications. In some cases, victims are never able to return to their jobs, or enjoy the way of life they were used to enjoying before the accident.
If another party caused you harm, it is critical that you consult with our personal injury lawyers as soon as possible. Our law firm will protect you from the insurance companies, ensure you have access to proper medical treatment, and hold all responsible parties accountable for your losses. When you hire our personal injury lawyers to handle your case, there’s never a fee for our services unless we collect on your behalf.
Here are some of the more common types of personal injury cases we handle.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Thousands of motor-vehicle accidents occur on Illinois roads every year. Whether it was a fender bender that caused minimal property damage or a major crash, the effects can leave you disabled, disfigured, and unable to work or enjoy activities the way you previously did.
When you’ve experienced a car, truck, motorcycle, or boating crash that caused injuries or death of a loved one, life will never be the same. Although no amount of money can turn back the clock, financial compensation can help pay for necessary treatments, cover daily expenses that lost wages will no longer cover, and relieve some of the stress that accompanies these major changes in your life.
Slip and Fall Accidents — Premises Liability
Slip and fall injuries are among the most common types of personal injury cases in Chicago, IL. Whether your fall happened at a Walmart, in a parking lot, or at a neighbor’s house, the property owner or operator may be held liable for damages if that party didn’t take necessary precautions to keep the premises free from dangerous conditions or, at a minimum, properly warn of the hazard.
Because these incidents may involve multiple liable parties, slip and fall cases can get complicated quickly. Our injury attorneys have decades of experience investigating slip and fall accident claims. In many cases, we can discover responsible defendants that aren’t obvious to the injured person, or small details that prove negligence. Contacting our law office as soon as you’re medically able can help ensure that evidence is preserved, and negligent parties are held accountable.
Damages Available in Personal Injury Cases in Chicago, IL
The benefits available in a personal injury lawsuit are significantly different from those that you can generally recover in a workers’ compensation claim. In addition to getting compensation for your medical expenses, you may also be able to recover the full amount of your lost wages, compensation for your pain and suffering, and punitive damages.
Don’t Talk to the Insurance Company. Call DePaolo & Zadeikis
Whether you suffered severe injuries at work, in a motor vehicle accident, or because of another traumatic event, go to the emergency room first, and then call us. Don’t jeopardize your ability to recover full and fair compensation by talking to the insurance company. Adjusters are paid to protect the insurance company’s bottom line, and your losses are not their priority.
Their representatives will minimize your injuries. They may shift the blame for your accident on you. Sometimes, they even pretend to be on your side, so they can collect recorded statements or other information that may cause your claim to be denied. They’ll discourage you from hiring an injury attorney, and they will try to convince you to accept less than your case is worth.
The Clock Is Ticking. Get Help with Your Injury Case Right Away
If you suffered serious injuries because of the negligence of someone else, don’t hesitate to contact our injury lawyers for a free consultation. The statute of limitations on injury cases in Illinois varies depending on a number of details about your case. You could have more or less time than you think to take legal action. If you wait too long to file your claim, you could lose the right to recover compensation for your losses.
For more than 30 years, Chicagoans have put their trust in the injury attorneys at DePaolo & Zadeikis to help them win their personal injury and workers’ compensation cases.
When you work with our team, your legal matters will be handled with compassion, professionalism, and concern for your best interests.
