Workers' Compensation Practice Page
Workers’ Compensation
Social Security
Workers’ Compensation
Chicago, Illinois workers' compensation lawyer Robert Smoler of Smoler Law Office can help you obtain the full benefits you deserve for your injury. Chicago workers’ compensation lawyer Robert Smoler of Smoler Law Office can help you obtain the full benefits you deserve for your injury.
Workers’ compensation reimburses medical expenses for employees who are injured on the job. Typical workplace injuries include:
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Injuries to hands, fingers, wrists and legs
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Traumatic twisting to knees and ankles
Injured workers who don’t consult an attorney could make mistakes that will ultimately reduce the amount of compensation they receive. According to Robert Smoler, injured workers must:
- Give proper notice to their employer that they have been injured.
- Give a full and accurate account of their injury to the treating doctor so there are no disparities in medical history that could be used against them in their workers’ compensation claim.
- Choose the right doctor to treat their injuries.
- Under workers compensation law, injured workers are limited to two choices of doctors or their treatment won’t be covered by workers compensation.
- Follow their doctor’s orders.
Robert Smoler understands that injured workers need guidance to ensure they receive the proper medical care. The company clinic is often motivated by getting employees back to work as soon as possible. They might miss injuries, ignore injuries, or send someone back to work too soon. Robert Smoler helps clients receive the appropriate treatment from doctors who specialize in their type of injury.
Injured workers are eligible for Temporary Total Disability (TTD), which the law sets at two-thirds of a worker’s average weekly wage. Medical expenses should be covered 100 percent. Additionally, injured workers are eligible to receive compensation for permanent disability in the event they do not make a full recovery. People who suffer sprains, fractures or who need surgery often have some degree of permanent disability for which they are entitled to receive compensation. Robert Smoler helps clients negotiate compensation for permanent disability claims.
If a third party is responsible for your on-the-job injury (for example, if you are injured in a car accident on the job or your injury was caused by defective equipment), Robert Smoler can also seek a personal injury award for you from the third party. Personal injury claims provide compensation for consequences not otherwise covered by workers’ compensation, such as pain and suffering. For further information, please see our Workers' Compensation Center.
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Social Security
Chicago disability lawyer Robert Smoker has extensive experience in helping people who have been denied Social Security disability benefits.
Few people are aware that a very high percentage of Social Security disability benefits (more than 90 percent) are initially denied, whether the person is disabled or not. While you can request a reconsideration of your claim, most reconsiderations are also denied. Finally, you may appeal to have a hearing before an administrative law judge. Robert Smoler represents clients at these administrative hearings and has a track record of helping more than 80 percent of his clients receive the benefits to which they are entitled.
If you were injured at work and are unable to return to work because of your injury, Robert Smoler can help ensure that your Social Security benefits are not reduced by the settlement you receive as a result of your workers’ compensation claim.
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For a free initial consultation about your injury case,
call Robert Smoler at (312) 332-9800
Smoler Law Office
415 North LaSalle Street, Suite 402
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: 312-332-9800
Fax: 312-332-9801
