For employers, the safety of their employees should be priority. Providing a hazard-free and safe working environment can help boost productivity and reduce personal injuries. However, to cover unforeseen personal injuries that employees might face while performing their job, a worker's compensation insurance should be bought by employers to cover medical costs and provide financial relief for employees as they recover. The inability to provide financial support for relief and recovery may lead to legal action by employees.
The provisions and guidelines to provide employees with compensation for accidental injuries, which occured during the time of employment, are covered under the Illinois Workers Compensation Act. If an employer refuses to provide compensation or honor claims, an employee can file a claim with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, who will assign an arbitrator to assess all claims. Only legitimate claims can be honored.
Getting insured for Workers’ Compensation
An employer can seek private insurance to cover personal injuries that their employees incur at work. For many small businesses, private insurance can be the best choice and can be searched through the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission database. However, the National Council of Compensation Insurance also provides businesses with private injury and workers compensation insurance facilities. Employers may be subject to $500 fine per day if they fail to carry workers' compensation insurance.
Managing Personal Injuries
Employers can hire experienced workers compensation attorneys to assess their policies and provide guidance on how to make timely compensation claims. The best ways to mitigate workers compensation claims include the following:
- Make safety committees to look for safety hazards across the workplace. The committee can consult employees, provide training and give feedback on how to make workplace better.
- Having on-site medical teams can also provide safety to employees by acting as first responders. Medical officers can also consult employees for speedy recovery and make it easier for them to rejoin after an injury.
- Employees should be encouraged to report personal injuries to claim workers’ compensations on time. If there is an injury review process, it should be initiated immediately after an injury occurs or a claim is received. Also, employees should be provided with the right tools to reduce the risk of injuries.
If you wish to find out more about workers’ compensation and unusual injuries in Illinois, schedule a free consultation, contact the offices of Robert Edens at (847) 395-2200 to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer.
