Vocational Rehabilitation for CTA Workers

Chicago Workers’ Compensation Lawyers for CTA Worker

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) employs transportation workers who must move more than a million passengers on a daily basis. However, sometimes work accidents leave these workers unable to do the jobs they had prior to their accidents. For instance, if you operate a train, but suffer a crushing injury to your hand that leaves you unable to operate the train, you may still retain the ability to do a different type of job that doesn’t require use of that hand. However, you will likely need training so that you can find a new line of work. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system that provides benefits. If you believe you need vocational rehabilitation, you should contact the strategic Chicago CTA worker lawyers of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca to represent you in your claim. We seek the best relief available to clients, looking at the circumstances of their accidents to determine whether it would be appropriate to pursue other relief, such as a personal injury damages award or SSDI benefits.

Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits

As a CTA worker, you may have required training in how to perform your job while adhering to intricate policies and regulations. You may have had to work in isolation during early morning or night hours. Job conditions or accidents can result in serious injuries that could leave you unable to continue working in transportation. For example, if you had complications that developed into complex regional pain syndrome, you may not be able to operate a bus any longer. However, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits such as vocational rehabilitation that could help you move on to a new job.

Vocational rehabilitation could include job counseling, supervised job searches, education, and vocational retraining., CTA and its insurer should pay for these services, along with maintenance costs and incidental expenses. If you are offered vocational rehabilitation, however, you must cooperate with the offer for services; you cannot simply choose not to work and not to be retrained.

Process of Obtaining Vocational Rehabilitation

Your doctor should let you know when and whether you can go back to your job, and what restrictions you should abide by. In most cases, your treating physician will determine when you’ve reached maximum medical improvement (MMI). At the point of MMI, you may or may not be completely recovered, but you are stable and unlikely to improve any further. You may have permanent physical restrictions that leave you unable to do the same job with CTA, or you may not be able to do any transportation job whatsoever.

You may meet with resistance when you ask for vocational rehabilitation, which is why it is critical to retain an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to advocate for you. There is no clear, set standard to be applied with regard to receiving vocational rehabilitation after sustaining work injuries in Illinois. However, you are expected to try to get a job if you are able to work with restrictions, but CTA can’t accommodate you. In order to get vocational rehabilitation, you’ll need to show you weren’t able to get a job that met your physical restrictions. Services for which you may be eligible include job search, job modification, counseling, and placement.

The process of obtaining vocational rehabilitation will usually commence with an assessment. Counselors will assess and evaluate your expectations and skills. They will look at the physical restrictions your doctor has set forth. They should develop an individual plan that is tailored to your needs. You may be able to ask for and obtain both education and training in a new line of work.

Hire a Chicago Law Firm Who Represents Injured CTA Workers

Our attorneys handle workers’ compensation claims against CTA for vocational rehabilitation benefits in Champaign, Rockford, Quincy, and Aurora, as well as Sangamon, Winnebago, Kane, Cook, and Adams Counties. We also handle third party lawsuits and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claims. Call us at 312-724-5846 or complete our online form.