Concussions in the Airline Industry
Chicago Lawyers for Workers’ Compensation Claims
Concussions are traumatic brain injuries that impact your brain function. They are usually caused by a violent blow to the head or a shaking of the head. Their effects may include headaches, concentration difficulties, coordination difficulties and lack of balance, but these are often temporary. For example, if something heavy drops on your head from the baggage compartment when you are trying to make sure everything is secure, the result could be a concussion. While some concussions cause loss of consciousness, most don’t. Sometimes concussions do trigger long term, life changing issues. If you experienced a concussion in the airline industry, our skilled Chicago workers’ compensation attorneys can evaluate whether you have a claim.
Concussions in the Airline Industry
Concussions in the airline industry may not be obvious at first. The signs and symptoms may take a while to show up, but they can also present immediately and last for days or weeks. Sometimes concussions result in amnesia. Other times they result in confusion, fogginess, vomiting, dizziness, ringing in the ears, headaches or pressure in the head, slurred speech, delayed response, fatigue, or seeming dazed. Still other symptoms can include head bumps, irritability, light sensitivity, sleep disturbance, depression, taste and smell disorders, seizures, disorientation, and altered coordination.
If you suffer a concussion on the job it may impact your ability to go back to work. Since even a minor concussion can have serious consequences, you may need medical care. You should seek medical care right away, and let the doctor know that it was a work-related injury.
Benefits
After suffering a concussion on the job, you may be entitled to medical benefits under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act. These benefits may cover tests by specialists to determine brain function and to identify a skull fracture or hemorrhage if any. The severity of the concussion can affect the disability payments made by the workers’ compensation insurer. It can also determine what the future medical costs will be. This is important because sometimes workers’ compensation insurers offer lump sum payments in exchange for a waiver of the right to future benefits.
Some people are temporarily disabled after suffering a concussion. Their symptoms may stop them from performing their usual job tasks. If you face difficulties working after suffering a concussion, you may be entitled to recover temporary total disability benefits.
Temporary Total Disability Benefits
If you are concussed on the job and need time off, you can obtain temporary total disability benefits, and a knowledgeable work injury lawyer can help you make a claim. However, the first three days that you stay home from work due to disability will not be paid unless you need at least 14 days off work. The first three days are only paid at that point, retroactively. Benefits for a concussion will be paid until your doctor says you have arrived at maximum medical improvement.
The amount of your temporary total disability benefits will depend on your average weekly wage. Temporary total disability benefits are two-thirds of a worker’s average weekly wage, up to a certain maximum cap that is updated in six-month increments.
Sometimes a concussion leaves an airline worker partially, but not fully disabled for a period. You may be able to obtain temporary partial disability benefits if you are able to go back to work doing light duty or part time work. The benefits will be 2/3 of the difference between what you could have earned before the injury and what you’re currently earning.
There are other benefits for which you may be eligible if you suffered a concussion on the job. These can include medical benefits. Workers’ compensation pays for all reasonably necessary medical care related to work injuries so long you obtain authorization for the treatment. You can also get mileage reimbursement for the mileage traveling to and from the doctor’s.
Consult a Seasoned Work Injury Attorney in Chicago
If you suffered a concussion while working in the airline industry in Chicago, the dedicated lawyers of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca may be able to help you assert your rights. We represent concussed airline workers in Aurora, Rockford, Quincy, and Springfield, as well as Winnebago, Champaign, Kane, Adams, and Cook Counties. Please call us at 312-724-5846 or contact us online for a free consultation.