Injuries to Janitors and Maintenance Staff
Dedicated Workplace Accident Lawyers Helping Claimants in Chicago
Janitors and maintenance staff perform physically demanding tasks and can suffer a variety of workplace injuries. In some situations, the risk of injury can be reduced in order to protect the health and productivity of the workers. However, even when abiding by safety regulations and avoiding repetitive movements when possible, workers can suffer serious harm. The Chicago workers’ compensation attorneys at Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca help employees pursue workers’ compensation benefits and compensation after suffering a workplace injury or medical condition. Whether a worker has suffered a sprain or strain or has been injured in a slip and fall accident, we are prepared to advocate for the rights of workers that are provided by Illinois law.
Janitorial and Maintenance Staff Can Pursue Benefits After Injuries Suffered at Work
Janitors and maintenance staff are in charge of cleaning and maintaining government and commercial establishments, including hospitals, schools, retail stores, and other similar institutions. Due to their job duties and the physically demanding work, these employees are susceptible to various work-related injuries. Some common types of injuries suffered by janitors and maintenance staff include fall accidents, ergonomic injuries, electrical shock, and chemical exposure.
Due to the repetitive nature of bending, pushing, reaching, and lifting, janitorial work can lead to arthritis, sprains, and other musculoskeletal injuries. In some cases, maintenance staff suffering from back injuries will be unable to return to their job duties, since the cumulative effect of their daily work renders them incapable of performing their tasks. Additionally, slick surfaces and falls from ladders present a high risk of fall accidents to janitors and others working around slip-and-fall hazards.
Illinois law maintains that janitorial and maintenance staff who are injured while performing their work-related duties qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. In most cases, these benefits cover medical bills and will replace a portion of an injured worker’s wages missed while recovering from their injury or medical condition. Unlike making a third-party claim against a supplier or equipment manufacturer, when a janitor files a workers’ compensation claim for compensation and benefits, their attorney need not prove fault.
Under workers’ compensation laws, employers are required to pay for benefits for injured workers. It is common for employers to purchase workers’ compensation insurance, and the insurer usually pays the benefits directly to the employee. In order to receive benefits, there are administrative regulations, one of which is that the employee is required to notify the employer of their injury within a specified time period.
Even employees working as janitors or maintenance staff who suffer from pre-existing medical conditions may be eligible for compensation after a work-related accident aggravates or worsens their condition. Illinois law maintains that the work-related accident does not need to be the “primary” cause of the injury, provided that it is one cause. In some situations, an injured worker may find that a workplace accident accelerated their pre-existing condition, which can also entitle them to benefits.
Injured maintenance staff or janitors seeking to recover compensation for their harm must show a connection between the accident and their condition. Medical experts can assess the specific facts concerning the worker’s claim in order to determine whether the work accident caused or aggravated the injury.
Retain a Skilled Chicago Attorney to Pursue Your Workers’ Compensation Claim
By filing and pursuing a workers’ compensation claim against an employer, injured janitorial and maintenance staff are protecting their right to benefits. Medical documentation is necessary in order to recover compensation and missed work wages. At Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, our attorneys can help workers set forth the necessary documentation and records that strengthen their claim. We proudly help workers and their families throughout Illinois, including in Chicago, Quincy, Aurora, Champaign, Springfield, and other areas of Kane, Cook, Winnebago, Sangamon, Champaign, and Adams Counties. To set up a free consultation with an experienced job injury attorney, call our office at 312-724-5846 or fill out our form online.