Nearly all employers in the state of Illinois are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance to help offset some of the costs of workers being injured. Workers’ compensation provides various benefits to employees when they are injured, including both temporary and permanent benefits for total- and partial-loss injuries. Benefits typically cover medical expenses related to the injury or death benefits if the injury resulted in the worker’s death. The amount of compensation an injured worker receives greatly depends on what the worker was earning at the time of the accident and the outcome of the injury. In this two-part series,
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Why is Establishing Paternity So Important for Illinois Children?
When a child is born to married parents, that child’s biological parents are presumed by law. The biological mother of a child is obvious — it is whoever gave birth to the child. When it comes to the child’s biological father, any man who is married to the child’s biological mother at the time the child is born or within the 300 days before their birth is automatically presumed to be the child’s biological father. When a child’s parents are not married at the time of the child’s birth and were never married, parents must go through other avenues of
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Who Can Legally Purchase and Own a Firearm in Illinois?
Like many other areas, gun laws differ from state to state. Each state is responsible for creating and implementing its own laws pertaining to the purchase, sale, possession, and use of firearms. Naturally, some states have laws that are more strict than others. In Illinois, any person who wishes to own and possess a firearm legally must have a valid firearm owner identification (FOID) card. Obtaining a FOID card is not difficult, but there are specific requirements that you must meet before the state will issue you a permit. Possessing a firearm without a valid FOID card can result in
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What Are Some of the Common Causes of Work Zone Accidents in Illinois?
The temperatures are rising, the sun is shining, and the days are getting longer in Illinois. You know what that means—road construction season is back in full swing. Construction zones can be dangerous places for drivers, pedestrians, and construction workers alike. According to information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were more than 39,000 construction zone motor vehicle crashes that resulted in injuries across the country in 2019. Understanding the cause of these accidents can help prevent them from happening in the future.
Causes of Illinois Work Zone Accidents
Many of the factors that can cause accidents
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UPDATED: Does Workers’ Compensation Cover the Coronavirus?
Originally published: March 3, 2020
UPDATE: A year ago, the United States was in the middle of the worst part of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the situation surrounding the coronavirus has been rapidly changing. Many places of business closed because of the pandemic, though there were individuals who still had to report to work because their jobs were deemed to provide essential services. This past June, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill adding protections for essential workers to the Illinois Workers’ Occupational Diseases Act.
Specifically, the amendments to the Act state that a COVID-19 infection is automatically presumed
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When Are Juvenile Cases Transferred to Adult Court in Illinois?
Illinois has a strong history of juvenile justice. The state was the first in the U.S. to create a separate court for juvenile offenders around the beginning of the 20th century, and it has since influenced the majority of other states to follow suit. Juvenile courts are critical to the rehabilitation of youth who find themselves in trouble with the law. In Illinois, however, there are certain circumstances in which a juvenile offender’s case can be heard in adult criminal court, rather than juvenile court.
Factors Used to Determine Whether a Transfer is Warranted
Changes to Illinois law in
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Helping Your Children Cope With the Stresses of Your Illinois Divorce
Divorce is one of the most stressful life experiences that a person can go through. Adults have a difficult enough time coping with divorce, but children who do not fully understand the situation can have an even harder time coping with the huge changes that come with divorce. Children often feel as if their entire world is changing when their parents divorce, and they may react with mood or behavioral issues, which can be both frustrating and saddening for parents. While you cannot change the way that your child feels, you can teach them healthy ways of coping with their
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What Types of Benefits Does Illinois Workers’ Compensation Provide?
No matter the job, no matter the field, Illinois workers’ compensation exists to provide assistance to those who are injured at work. Nearly all employers in the state of Illinois are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance, with minor exceptions. If you are hurt on the job, your employer is supposed to report your injury to the Workers’ Compensation Commission so your benefits can begin, though employers often attempt to deny workers’ compensation claims, even if they have merit. A workers’ compensation lawyer can help you claim your benefits if your employer does not want to cooperate.
Benefits Provided by
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What Types of Compensation Can I Claim As a Pedestrian Hit by a Car?
Nearly everyone is in a situation at some point throughout the day that puts them in danger of being hit by a car. As a pedestrian, being hit by a car can be severely damaging, if not fatal. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), around 76,000 pedestrians were injured in car accidents across the country in 2019. In addition to that, there were more than 6,200 people killed as pedestrians in a car accident. Pedestrians are at risk of suffering severe injuries, like broken bones or brain injuries, when hit by a car, mostly due to the
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What Makes an Assault Charge a Felony Crime in Illinois?
A violent crime against another person is one of the most serious offenses you can be accused of committing. Crimes such as assault and battery may seem less severe compared to offenses like sexual assault or murder, but they can still result in rather substantial penalties. In Illinois, assault and battery charges often go hand in hand, and they can be misdemeanors or felonies depending on the circumstances. Understanding what type of crime you are accused of and the potential penalties can help you with a defense strategy for your case.
What is Assault?
Often, assault and battery are used interchangeably.
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What Do I Need to Do to Establish Paternity for My Child in Illinois?
The composition of the average American family has changed drastically over the years. According to the Pew Research Center, one in four children today lives with parents who are not married. One of the biggest reasons for this is an increase in the number of babies born to unmarried mothers. In 1970, only 26 out of 1,000 births were to unmarried mothers, but in 2016, 42 out of every 1,000 births were to unmarried women. Having a child outside of marriage is common these days, but it can come with its own legal hurdles. If your child is born and
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What Consequences Do I Face For a Speeding Ticket in Illinois?
Out of all of the various traffic offenses you could be charged with, speeding is by far one of the most common offenses committed. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were an estimated 1,031 traffic deaths in Illinois in 2018, and 42 percent of those deaths were due to speeding-related traffic accidents. Speeding is a dangerous driving habit, which is why many states—Illinois included—have strict laws regarding speeding. Some speeding tickets result only in a fine, but there are some instances where a speeding ticket could also result in more serious misdemeanor charges upon conviction.
Speeding
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The Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Illinois
Truck accidents are common on the roads in Illinois, and they can occur very suddenly. Many times, drivers of smaller vehicles are left with serious injuries without even knowing how the truck accident happened. It is true that the cause of an accident is not always easily identifiable, and it often requires an extensive investigation. An experienced personal injury attorney can conduct this investigation and collect evidence to help you claim the full compensation you deserve. Below are some of the most common causes of truck accidents in Illinois.
Drowsy Driving
Truck drivers must meet very tight shipping deadlines, and
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What Are the Deadlines for Workers’ Compensation Claims in Illinois?
People go to work to earn an income to support themselves and their families. No one should ever become injured while on the job, but it happens every day in Illinois. When it does, injured workers have the right to file a workers’ compensation claim that can help them recover their medical expenses and a portion of their lost income.
However, these claims have strict deadlines, and when those are not met, a person’s chances of obtaining compensation may be in jeopardy. Our workers’ compensation lawyers are here to help you through the process and ensure that your claim is
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Common Questions About the Illinois Juvenile Justice System
It is very scary for a parent when their child is charged with a crime, such as underage drinking or retail theft. One of the most frightening aspects is the fact that so many parents are unsure about what to expect, or the penalties their child will face. If your child has been charged with a criminal offense, answers to these common questions about Illinois juvenile law may help you better understand what can happen.
When are Minors Tried in Adult Court?
This is perhaps the most common question when a minor is charged with a crime, because a
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Car Crash Fatalities Increased Nationwide During the Pandemic
Last year was difficult for everyone. COVID-19 hit early in the year, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths around the country, and job losses in Illinois and throughout the nation were rampant. Shelter-in-place orders were issued in the spring and kept many people at home for months, which kept people off of the roads. However, according to a new report, while there were fewer people on the road, there were also more traffic fatalities. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has published statistics that show just how many people were killed on the roads, and they are pleading with
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