What workers' comp actually covers
If you were injured in the course of your job, workers' compensation covers your medical treatment, a portion of your lost wages, and disability benefits if your injury is permanent. You do not have to prove anyone was at fault. You only have to prove the injury happened at work.
In return, in most cases, you give up the right to sue your employer. There are exceptions, including third-party claims, and we look at every case for them.
What's at stake
People lose real benefits because they did not know the rules. A few examples of what you could leave on the table without help:
- Temporary total disability payments while you cannot work
- Permanent partial disability payments after you reach maximum medical improvement
- Vocational rehabilitation if you cannot return to your old job
- Future medical care for the same injury
- Third-party claims against non-employers who contributed to the injury
How a workers' comp case moves
1. Report the injury
Missouri requires written notice within 30 days. Illinois requires notice within 45 days. Shorter is better. Email your supervisor so there is a record.
2. Approved treatment
In Missouri, the employer chooses the doctor. In Illinois, you usually choose but within two. We help you navigate the rules without losing the right to care.
3. Temporary benefits
If you are off work, you should be getting a weekly check. If it is late, wrong, or stops, that is a problem we fix.
4. MMI and rating
When your doctor says you are as good as you are going to get, a disability rating follows. That rating drives the value of the permanent portion of your case.
5. Settlement or hearing
Most cases settle. The ones that do not go to a formal hearing before the Division. We handle both.
Third-party claims
If a non-employer contributed to your injury (a subcontractor, a manufacturer of defective equipment, a driver who hit you while you were making a delivery), there may be a separate personal injury claim in addition to workers' comp. Those claims are where the real money usually is.
Why you should call before accepting an offer
Insurance adjusters send settlement offers that look like the whole case. They are usually just the tip of it. Future medical, permanent disability, and vocational benefits get traded away for lump sums that do not reflect real value. One consultation, no fee, is worth the hour.