Synopsis: Has the IL WC Defense Group Painted Itself into a Corner? Editor’s comment: We are now seeing, in claim after claim, a new and exasperating concept—almost every member of the IL WC Claimant bar is now asking for and/or demanding “permanency” for any claimant whose treating doctor will state they are a “candidate” for future surgery or other poorly defined future medical care. The reason I put “permanency” into quotes is John/Jane Q. Public aren’t “permanently” disabled when they haven’t had a proposed surgery but might, just might need a second, third or more surgery at some remote and untargeted…
Continue Reading 11-10-25; Has the Illinois Work Comp Defense Group Painted Itself into a Corner? Changes Proposed for IL WC Burial Benefit and more

Synopsis: What the heck is “Beneficial Ownership Information” and what is a “BOI Report”? Every U.S. company/LLC/corporation has to file this by January 1stWe are somewhat perplexed that this new federally mandated corporate reporting has not been more widely discussed in business and legal circles, yet most businesses throughout the country are required to comply by January 1, 2025. With less than 90 days before the reporting deadline, we wanted to be sure you, our subscribers, clients, and any friends or family with businesses are aware of this new layer of government red tape and avoid the potential penalties for…
Continue Reading 10-31-2024;; Beneficial Ownership by John Campbell, JD; Illinois Supreme Court Expands Wrongful Death Claims by Bradley Smith, JD and more

Synopsis: Happy New Year to You and All Friends of the Firm!!! Editor’s comment: It is hard to believe 2024 is coming to a close but we keep on fighting the good fight for Illinois Employers, Insurance Carriers and Government Bodies in the Workers’ Compensation field. If you have IL WC defense files you need to close, please remember our motto—“The Only Good File Is A Closed File!!!” We close them faster than any other WC Defense firm. Synopsis: The Illinois Appellate Court, WC Division issues a rather shocking “traveling employee” ruling that is challenging for us to fit into the IL…
Continue Reading 12-31-2024; Happy New Year!!!; New and Baffling "Traveling Employee" Appellate Ruling; Illinois' MInimum Wage Will Rise to $15 an hour and much more

Synopsis: AS WE ARE NOW IN 2025—IL WC BENEFIT RATES STILL SPIRAL HIGHER??— SHAWN BIERY’S UPDATED IL WC RATE SHEETS AVAILABLE FOR ACCURATE WC RATES AND RESERVING!!!  Editor’s comment: The IWCC has posted a new max TTD rate of almost $2,000 per week going into 2025 and max PPD RATE is growing higher, at $1,045.92. FYI, Illinois WC rates have updated again so please be aware of the New IL WC Rates or your claims handling will suffer & penalties may ensue. Please also note that the IL State Min Wage also did rise another dollar on New Year’s Day, 2025. On…
Continue Reading 1-27-25; Updated IL WC Rate Chart from Shawn Biery, JD; John Campbell on another new law and more

Synopsis: Is it Christmas Again Already? The Illinois Supreme Court drops a giant gift into the stockings of the Plaintiff’s bar, allowing resurrection of a host of IL occupational exposure claims… against Illinois employers!  Wait… What?  It appears the exclusive remedy provision is now only exclusive until the IL plaintiff’s bar starts running out of people to sue. Editor’s comment: Let’s take a deeper look at Martin v. Goodrich Corp., 2025 IL 13509. Facts and Ruling: Rodney Martin was an employee of Goodrich Corp. allegedly working for a time with vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), a substance believed to cause angiosarcoma of the…
Continue Reading 2-8-25; John Campbell JD on Shocking New IL Law/Ruling; Tim O'Gorman JD on Important TPD Ruling and more

Synopsis: The Appellate Court of Illinois, Workers’ Compensation Division takes another mighty leap toward, and arguably beyond, the Positional Risk Doctrine in the Tazewell County ruling. Tazewell Country v. The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, et. al., 2025 Il App (4th) 230754WC. Thoughts and opinions by John Campbell, JD and Shawn Biery, JD. Editor’s Comment: Petitioner Potts worked as a dental hygienist for Tazewell County, performing teeth cleaning and sealing patients’ teeth which involved what she described as “a lot of hunching over” patients where her arms would be held at approximately shoulder level while working. Hired in 2005, she asserted she…
Continue Reading 2-16-2025; John Campbell and Shawn Biery's Thoughts on Important Positional Risk ruling; Wacky New IL WC Legislation, Possibly Ending the Role of Attorneys in the System and more

Synopsis: Test Question for Our Readers. There is Another Illinois Pro-Employee Rule to Consider When Settling IL WC Claims. Editor’s comment: Assume you have a WC claimant who is a challenging worker. The worker files a difficult-to-accept IL WC claim and are very unhappy with your company. During the pendency of the WC claim, they quit work for your company. You are working hard to close the WC case but you are also wondering—as the worker left your company, do you have to settle or seek a release from possible employment law charges/complaints? You wouldn’t have a release/resignation because the worker…
Continue Reading 4-23-2025; Another Illinois Pro-Employee Rule–Does the IL WC Industry Need to Get More General Releases?; Fall-Down Claim Dismissal Reversed and more

Synopsis: Keefe, Campbell, Biery & Associates celebrates another great year and more than two decades in WC/GL and Employment Law Defense! Editor’s comment: Happy Anniversary to our KCB&A Defense Team!!! We couldn’t have done it without great clients and support. It has been more than two decades of teaching and fighting and settling within authority and all the great things a solid defense firm does. We combine our demanding skills at rapidly settling accepted claims with fighting the bad ones along with teaching and presenting and answering all the simple and complex questions you have for us. We listen carefully to changing…
Continue Reading 6-18-2025; KCB&A Celebrates Another Great Year!!!: Oregon WC Premium Study Released; IL WC Settlement Fair and more

NOTICE TO ILLINOIS EMPLOYERS, INSURANCE CARRIERS, THIRD PARTY CLAIMS ADMINISTRATORS, AND THEIR COUNSELSSynopsis: Please be advised that the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC), in collaboration with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association (WCLA), will co-host a Settlement Fair on July 16 and 17, 2025, at the IWCC Hearing Rooms located in the Richard J. Daley Center, Chicago.Those EMPLOYERS, INSURANCE CARRIERS, and THIRD PARTY CLAIMS ADMINISTRATORS who wish to participate are encouraged to contact IWCC Chief of Staff Annette Roti (annette.roti@illinois.gov ) to schedule a time, a date, and a Hearing Room for their settlement meetings. Attorneys on both sides of the…
Continue Reading 7-7-25; WC Settlement Fair at the IWCC July 16th & 17th; New Math on IL Wage Loss Differential Claims and more

Synopsis: AS WE HEAD TOWARD 2026—IL WC BENEFIT RATES INCREASE SLIGHTLY—SHAWN BIERY’S UPDATED IL WC RATE SHEETS AVAILABLE FOR ACCURATE RATES AND RESERVING!!!  Editor’s comment: The IWCC has posted new rates, although a new PPD Max rate won’t update until January 2026, and some of the Max portions have gone up but most MINIUMUM WC rates stayed the same. Our IL WC PPD max doesn’t update until 2026 regardless. Please also note that the IL State Min Wage is now $15 per hour and the City of Chicago’s minimum wage for employers with 4 or more employees is $16.60 per hour starting July…
Continue Reading August 2025; Shawn R. Biery's Updated IL WC Rate Charts Are Available!!!; Justice Thomas E. Hoffman RIP and much more

Synopsis: A Truly Unusual and Mildly “Spooky” Claim for The Illinois GL/WC Claims Industry—Was the Death of a Worker From “Free Food” Exclusively Covered Under Work Comp or Was the Passing a Civil Matter?  Editor’s comment: To some extent, claims such as this are unique to the People’s Republic of Illinois. Suddenly, there are two paths for a claims veteran to review if you are to set reserves with any hope of accuracy. Please also note the new risk involved in allowing food service workers to have “free food” that is typically given to employees when the extra food is…
Continue Reading October 2025; Unusual and "Scary" Appellate Ruling on Death Claim and much more

Synopsis: Last Night, at 12:00 midnight, July 2024 started and there a new laws that are certain to change your day-to-day IL WC claims handling. Editor’s comment: Please note the changes aren’t great for Illinois/Chicago businesses but “it is what it is”—we all have to follow the law.  Chicago and Cook County Minimum Wage Goes UpThis will have a direct impact on IL WC Section 8(d-1) wage loss claims.While Illinois’ state-wide minimum wage will not go up until the end of the year 2024, residents in Cook County and Chicago will see higher minimum wages starting on July 1.The minimum wage…
Continue Reading July 1, 2024; New Laws from the WC Perspective in IL/Chicago–this is a must read for WC folks

Synopsis: Navigating the Impact of American Coal Company v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission: Important Insights for Defense Attorneys, Claims Handlers and Risk Managers. Please note, after 31 years of writing this “blog,” this is the first KCB&A Update that employed AI or Artificial Intelligence!!!  Editor’s comment: The recent ruling in American Coal Company v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission et al. (2024) by the Appellate Court of Illinois, Workers Comp Division, marks a pivotal moment in our State’s workers’ compensation law and practice. This decision, which upholds a comprehensive and extraordinary award to Claimant, David McCain Jr., has profound implications for…
Continue Reading June 2024; Staggering New Judicial Increase to PTD Claims in Illinois; New IL WC legislation and more