It is the duty of every employer in the State of Illinois to provide a safe and reasonable workplace for its employees to perform their tasks, regardless of the industry setting. This means that whether it is a construction site, an airport, a school, an office, or anything in between, workers must be provided with a safe means to work and that their safety cannot be ignored. When an employer fails to take the steps necessary to protect workers’ rights, an accident or other incident may occur and may leave one or more employees with injuries.
It can be devastating when an employee is hurt on the job and unfortunately, nothing can erase these incidents once they occur. However, victims may be entitled to seek financial compensation to help them move beyond an accident and to move forward with their lives. The option to seek payment is available to all workers in Chicago and in Illinois and unlike some other types of claims, it does not matter who bears responsibility in the incident – if a worker is hurt, that worker has rights. Relief can be sought and may include needed medical treatment, payment for wages missed while away from work, and even a lump sum. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer who handles workers’ compensation claims in the Chicago area may help you understand your rights if you have been the victim of an accident while on-the-job.
An investigation is ongoing into a fatal incident at a plant in Elk Grove Village on Wednesday. Police have confirmed that a 50-year-old man who worked in a factory was trapped in a machine and that the incident killed the worker. Now, police are reviewing all facts in the case and officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are starting their own investigation.
The incident happened at a plant that makes parts for several industries including aerospace, mining, oil and gas, and transportation and the machine at issue reportedly cuts or shapes raw products into a finished state. It is unclear at this time what led to the accident or how the man became trapped in the machine but police have confirmed that the man died before emergency responders arrived on the scene.
Though workers should be safe while they are employed, accidents at Chicago-area job sites continue to happen every day and continue to place the health of employees at issue. If your life has been affected due to a workplace accident or if your loved one was injured or killed on the job, make sure you understand your legal rights and whether you have a valid claim for relief.
The personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. are standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to help all victims by providing them with a free case consultation about their workers’ compensation claim. If you have been hurt, we want to help you by discussing your rights without any obligation or cost to you. We can be reached toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575 and our team of attorneys will speak to you whenever you need answers.
If an accident has affected you, make sure you are not made to suffer into the future. Call Abels & Annes, P.C. now and let us get to work for you.
Prior Blog Entry:
Hit-and-Run Crash in Chicago Kills 1, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published April 15, 2015.
Resource:
Worker dies after becoming trapped in machine at Elk Grove Village plant, by Sarah Freishtat, Chicago Tribune, published April 15, 2015.