Overexertion

Chicago Lawyers for Overexertion Claims

Many people associate work injuries with dramatic situations like falls or vehicle accidents. However, far more commonly, work accidents involve overexertion and bodily reactions. When there are a series of repetitive actions performed over a long period, or acute effort placed in performing a task or series of tasks that go beyond his or her body’s normal tolerance for the work, it is possible that a worker will suffer injuries that he or she may not be able to recover from. Overexertion claims are those that arise out of the latter. Even tiny injuries on the job can make it difficult to do little tasks for the City. If you are a City of Chicago worker who suffered harm due to overexertion on the job, you should give the seasoned Chicago workers’ compensation attorneys of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca a call. Our firm relies on more than 60 years of experience to advocate for best results for municipal workers.

Overexertion on the Job for City of Chicago

Overexertion is one of the most common kinds of injuries that workers experience on the job, according to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, which administers hearings and claims. Accidental injuries can happen at any point, even if you’re diligent and careful about your work. Various activities are more likely to result in overexertion. These can include situations involving sudden or intense physical activity. They can also include situations in which your ability to perform your job has been reduced or eliminated by an injury experienced on the job. Overexertion claims sometimes arise out of repetitive stress on a body part, such as wrist strain from using a computer all day, for longer periods than appropriate for your body. Overexertion can also occur if you have to move in certain ways that place undue stress on the body such as twisting, reaching or bending to accomplish your tasks.

Our attorneys must be able to establish objectively that you were injured because of overexertion on the job. It is important to have a credible and knowledgeable medical treating provider who understands how to diagnose overexertion and understands how to present their knowledge. When a claim is disputed, it may be decided in the course of a hearing before an arbitrator at the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC). Evidence and arguments will be presented on both sides; it is crucial to retain counsel to represent you if you have a disputed claim in connection with overexertion on the job.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Overexertion

You may assume because you work for the City of Chicago, it will be easier to obtain benefits you need for overexertion than it would be if you worked for a private employer. Not so. The City of Chicago is protective of its resources and may fight claims that are in any way suspicious.

You should be aware that the City may scrutinize your case to determine whether your claims are the result of work-related activity or recreational off-the-job activity. The scrutiny could take the form of real-life or social media surveillance by an investigator. For instance, you could be surveilled when approaching or leaving an Independent Medical Exam (IME) ordered by the city.

Benefits you may be able to obtain for overexertion injuries could include medical benefits, permanent total disability benefits, temporary total disability benefits, permanent partial disability benefits, and temporary partial disability benefits. For instance, if you push yourself to work a lot of overtime for the City, and as a result you lift more boxes in and out of storage for more hours than your body can handle, you could be left with a serious back injury that requires rest and medication and physical therapy. The doctor’s visits, along with costs associated with medication and physical therapy, should be covered by the City. You should also be able to obtain disability benefits for those days you’re unable to work; these benefits provide partial wage replacement.

Consult a Seasoned Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

If you need to obtain permanent disability benefits as a City of Chicago employee, you should call our Chicago workers’ compensation lawyers. Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca represents workers in Aurora, Champaign, Rockford, Quincy, as well as Sangamon, Winnebago, Kane, Cook, and Adams Counties. In addition to workers’ compensation claims, we also handle third party lawsuits and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claims, so we have you covered for legal representation regardless of the circumstances surrounding your accident. Call us at 312-724-5846 or complete our online form.