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Manufacturing Injuries

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Illinois manufacturing jobs can be dangerous, and a severe injury at work could leave you permanently disabled. Even if your injury isn’t permanent, manufacturing injuries are expensive to treat, and you might miss weeks or months of work while you heal. All the while, your quality of life can suffer, as you might be unable to perform some physical activities.

At Levin, Riback & Adelman, we have decades of experience fighting for injured Illinois workers. Our Cook County manufacturing injury lawyers can take on your legal burdens, file a workers’ comp or personal injury claim on your behalf, and fight for maximum compensation. We’ve recovered over $200 million for our clients in just the past 10 years, and our 5-star Google rating demonstrates our commitment to client satisfaction. Call now or complete our contact form for a risk-free case review.

How Our Cook County Manufacturing Injury Attorneys Can Help You

Your chances of recovering fair compensation for a manufacturing injury are low if you don’t have capable legal representation. Workers’ compensation claims involve strict deadlines, detailed paperwork, and heartless insurance companies determined to minimize payouts. If your case also supports a personal injury claim, you must prove how someone else caused the accident and show how your injuries have impacted your life. Gathering evidence, speaking with witnesses, and understanding the medical and financial aspects of your case takes significant time and energy—resources you may not have while recovering.

At Levin, Riback & Adelman, we’ll take on the heavy lifting after a workplace injury so you can focus on healing. Our team can investigate your accident, collect the necessary evidence, and work with experts to strengthen your claim. For workers’ compensation cases, we can make sure your employer calculates your benefits correctly and challenge any denials or delays. If you also have a personal injury case, we pursue additional compensation from those responsible for your injury, including compensation for your pain, suffering, and lost earning potential.

We negotiate aggressively with insurance companies but are fully prepared to take your case to court. Our goal is simple: protect your rights, remove the stress from the process, and secure the benefits and compensation you deserve.

Common Manufacturing Injuries in Illinois

Some examples of common manufacturing injuries include:

  • Crush injuries from heavy machinery or falling objects
  • Severe cuts or amputations from power tools or sharp equipment
  • Burns from hot surfaces, steam, or chemical exposure
  • Fractures and broken bones from slips, trips, or falls
  • Repetitive strain injuries from constant, forceful motions
  • Hearing loss from prolonged exposure to loud machinery
  • Respiratory problems from inhaling dust, fumes, or toxic chemicals
  • Eye injuries from flying debris, sparks, or chemical splashes

What To Do After a Manufacturing Injury

Follow these steps to protect your workers’ comp benefits and avoid jeopardizing a personal injury claim if you’ve suffered a manufacturing injury:

  • Report your injury to your employer as soon as possible, ideally the same day. However, you must report the injury no later than 45 days after the accident to protect your workers’ compensation rights.
  • If your injuries allow, use your phone to document the accident scene, your injuries, and any equipment or hazards involved in the accident. Similarly, gather the names and contact information from any witnesses.
  • Seek medical attention immediately, even if the injury seems minor, and follow all treatment instructions from your doctor.
  • Inform your doctor that the injury happened at work so the details appear in your medical records.
  • Avoid giving recorded statements or signing any documents from insurance companies without first talking to a lawyer.
  • Keep copies of all medical records, bills, and correspondence related to your injury. You’ll need these records to support your claim.
  • Do not post about your injury, accident, or recovery on social media. Employers and insurance companies can use these posts against you.
  • Remember that Illinois has a three-year statute of limitations for filing a workers’ comp claim and a two-year deadline for personal injury lawsuits. Talk to a lawyer immediately so they can collect and preserve essential evidence.

Who’s Liable for a Manufacturing Injury?

You usually cannot sue your employer for a work-related injury. However, you might have grounds for a personal injury claim against another person or group who caused or contributed to the accident. The potentially liable parties in these cases include:

  • Equipment Manufacturers – If faulty machinery or tools caused your injury, the company that designed, made, or sold the equipment may be responsible. You would have to prove that the product had a design or manufacturing defect or didn’t have proper safety warnings.
  • Maintenance Contractors – Third-party service providers can be liable for accidents if they failed to properly inspect, repair, or maintain the equipment.
  • Property Owners – Individuals or businesses who own manufacturing sites may be liable for unsafe conditions that caused an accident, such as poor lighting, slippery floors, or structural hazards.
  • Subcontractors or Vendors – If another company’s employee caused your injury through their careless actions, that business could be accountable for their worker’s behavior.

A manufacturing accident attorney can investigate an accident and tell you if you may have grounds for a personal injury claim.

Compensation for Manufacturing Injuries

Since the Illinois workers’ compensation system covers most employees, you likely qualify for these benefits. Furthermore, workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, meaning you don’t have to prove your employer or someone else caused the accident to receive benefits. Your workers’ comp benefits for a manufacturing injury could include:

  • Medical Benefits – Workers’ comp medical benefits cover all reasonable and necessary treatment related to your injury, including doctor visits, hospital care, surgery, rehabilitation, prescriptions, and medical equipment. You do not owe any deductibles or co-pays.
  • Temporary Total Disability (TTD) – TTD benefits pay two-thirds of your average weekly wage if you cannot work at all while recovering. Payments continue until you return to work or reach maximum medical improvement, meaning further treatments won’t meaningfully improve your condition. Illinois law caps TTD benefits, but the maximum amount changes each year to account for inflation.
  • Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) – If you can return to light duty but are earning less than before, TPD benefits provide two-thirds of the difference between your pre-injury wages and your reduced earnings.
  • Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) – PPD benefits provide financial support when an injury causes lingering physical limitations. The amount depends on your injured body part and the severity of your condition.
  • Permanent Total Disability (PTD) – Finally, PTD benefits pay two-thirds of your average weekly wage for life if you can never work again because of your injury.

While workers’ compensation can provide crucial financial support immediately after a manufacturing injury, these benefits don’t cover all your losses. If someone other than your employer caused or contributed to your injury, you can file a personal injury claim against them to seek additional compensation. These claims require you to prove how someone caused your injury but can include compensation for losses that workers’ comp benefits don’t cover, such as:

  • The full amount of your lost income
  • The full amount of your medical expenses
  • Pain and suffering
  • Disability
  • Emotional distress

Contact Our Cook County Manufacturing Injury Attorneys

Swift action is vital to protecting your rights and recovering full compensation after a manufacturing injury. Trust Levin, Riback & Adelman to guide you through the legal process, stand up to your employer, and guard your best interests. Call now or complete our contact form for a free consultation.

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Are you uncertain of your legal options? Get the skilled and honest advice that you need to make smart decisions. Share your story with an experienced personal injury lawyer by calling 312-782-6717. You can also send us a message online to set up a free consultation.