Most workers know that if they get hurt on the job in Illinois, they will be protected by our state’s workers’ compensation system. In other words, they can get monetary assistance to pay for their medical care and money to replace their income lost due to not being able to work. However, did you know that you can get workers’ compensation for an occupational disease as well?
Occupational diseases usually develop over time. Because the increase in symptoms can be so subtle and gradual, employers — and the insurance company that will usually have to foot the bill — may try to argue that your disease was not the result of your job.
This is where a skilled workers’ compensation attorney will be essential to seeking the benefits you deserve. The first part of getting financial benefits for a work-related illness is to file your workers’ compensation claim. You may have already done this, and you may be facing resistance from the insurance company. For example, the insurer might try to prove that your disease or illness came from a previous job or that you suffered from it before you started working for the particular company at issue.
There are different ways you can try to get around these kinds of arguments. At Hannigan & Botha, LTD, our workers’ compensation attorneys help individuals seek long-term benefits for numerous work-related diseases like respiratory illnesses, hearing loss, skin diseases and more. If you believe your illness or disease was caused by your occupation, our legal team is here to help you try to get the benefits you’re entitled to.
