Medical Benefits for Injured Amazon Workers

Chicago Lawyers for Workers’ Compensation Claims

Amazon is the fastest growing retailer in the world, and it employs a large number of people in Illinois. Unfortunately, some Amazon workers have found their jobs to be physically taxing, and to have a high level of risk for injury. The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health listed Amazon as one of the country’s most dangerous places to work in 2018. The company pushes for very fast fulfillment of orders and rapid delivery, and this may occur at the expense of employee safety. If you have been hurt on the job in this situation, you may have questions about the available medical benefits for injured Amazon workers. Under circumstances such as these, you can obtain legal guidance from a dedicated Chicago workers’ compensation attorney.

Medical Benefits for Injured Amazon Workers

One of the benefits available to employees (but not independent contractors) through the Illinois workers’ compensation system is the reasonable medical care you need to treat or relieve an injury. Whether you hurt your back while lifting packages, were hit by a truck while loading boxes into a truck, or developed carpal tunnel syndrome due to repetitive motions involved with emailing customers, you may be able to obtain medical care for those workplace injuries. Medical benefits under the workers’ compensation system include coverage for things like emergency care, medication, therapy, doctors’ visits, consultations with specialists, surgery, prosthetic devices, and medical equipment. Your medical treatment must be reasonably necessary to be covered.

In order to obtain medical and other benefits, you need to notify Amazon of your injuries within 45 days of when you got hurt. If you delay giving notice, your benefits will be delayed, and if you delay more than 45 days you can lose benefits altogether. Where your injury developed slowly or involves repetitive stress, you should let Amazon know as soon as you’re aware that you have a work-related condition that is disabling.

Application for Adjustment of Claim

If you start receiving medical benefits immediately, you don’t need to do anything further. However, it can be wise to file an Application for Adjustment of Claim. Especially if you suspect that you may need to ask the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission order Amazon to pay your benefits, you should get the claim on file. For example, if you think you will need back surgery in the future due to a work-related injury, it can be important to file the Application for Adjustment of Claim. A seasoned workers’ compensation lawyer can help you with any filings you may need to submit in order to protect your benefits.

Selecting a Provider

Amazon may belong to a Preferred Provider Program. In that case, you can make two selections of providers from within the network for nonemergency medical care. If one of your chosen doctors refers you to a specialist, that will count as part of one choice. If you don’t like the first doctor you select from within the network, you can make a second choice from within network. You can choose not to select a medical provider from the network, but in that case you can only make one choice in selecting a health care provider.

Third Party Lawsuits

If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident in the scope of your employment, you may have a basis to bring a third party lawsuit for damages. This can be helpful because damages obtained through a personal injury lawsuit are usually more significant than workers’ compensation benefits. In addition to economic losses, you may be able to obtain noneconomic losses arising out of your injuries. Where another party’s negligence caused the vehicle accident, you can potentially recover damages by showing: (1) the defendant owed you a duty of care, (2) breach of the duty of reasonable care, (3) causation, and (4) damages. If you were injured in a vehicle accident caused by a defective truck or a negligently maintained roadway, you may have a third party claim against the truck manufacturer or owner of the road. Illinois follows a modified doctrine of comparative negligence, which can operate to reduce your damages if you were found to be partly at fault for your injuries.

Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Serving Chicago

If you have concerns about medical benefits for injured Amazon workers in Chicago, you can discuss your situation with the seasoned workers’ compensation lawyers of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca. We are available to represent injured workers in Champaign, Rockford, Quincy, and Aurora, as well as across Kane, Cook, Adams, Winnebago, and Sangamon Counties. Contact us at 312-724-5846, or via our online form.