A man from St. Clair County has sued his former employer after he was terminated for filing a workers’ compensation claim.

According to the lawsuit, the worker’s back was injured in January 2010 while working for a moving company.  The man filed a workers’ compensation claim in February seeking workers’ compensation benefits for his injury.

Only 2 weeks after filing the claim, the moving company fired the worker.  The lawsuit claims that the man’s former employer was in violation of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act by retaliating against him and firing him for filing a workers’ compensation claim.

In the lawsuit, the man is seeking $50,000 to $75,000 in damages for his injury, mental and emotional distress, and harm to his reputation.

Filing for workers’ compensation can be less intimidating and complicated with an experienced lawyer at your side.  Contact the Champaign workers’ compensation attorneys of Bruno Law Offices at 217-328-6000 today, if you or someone you know is seeking assistance filing for workers’ compensation.

Two weeks ago, Governor Quinn signed into law a new workers’ compensation bill that is expected to reform the state’s workers’ compensation system.  The governor estimates that the bill will save businesses in Illinois a total of $500 million a year.

Quinn said of the bill, “We’re going to be helping employers in Illinois, workers in Illinois, all of those who are committed to economic growth.”

The new workers’ comp bill was signed at the Navistar plant in Melrose Park.  The bill includes new standards for determining if a worker is disabled, new safeguards to prevent abuses, and cuts to medical rates.

To discuss filing for workers’ compensation with an experienced attorney, contact the Champaign workers’ compensation lawyers of Bruno Law Offices at 217-328-6000 today.

Earlier this month, Governor Pat Quinn proposed a workers’ compensation reform plan at a meeting with the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and the Illinois Manufacturers Association.

In his plans, the Governor proposed making changes to workers’ compensation legislation in Illinois that would require workers eligible to receive workers’ compensation to have been injured on the job.  The proposition is being referred to as the “causation” requirement. The President of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association expressed disapproval of the governor’s proposal.

In addition, Quinn stated that he would like to see a workers’ compensation reform written up and enacted before the legislative session ends on May 31st.

If you or a loved one has questions about applying for workers’ compensation benefits in Illinois, contact the Champaign workers’ compensation attorneys of Bruno Law Offices at 217-328-6000 and set up an appointment to meet with one of our lawyers today.

Federal officials recently began an investigation into the Illinois workers’ compensation system.  Investigators arrived in southern Illinois this week with subpoenas to view records of workers’ compensation claims from January 1st, 2006 to the present.

Governor Quinn expressed approval of the investigation stating, “We want to make sure everything is done right when it comes to workman’s compensation.  Those who are injured we want to make sure get fair compensation.  At the same time, if there’s any fraud, if there’s any abuse, if there’s any monkey business, if there’s any wrongdoing, it’s got to be prosecuted.”

Most of the subpoenas were for records at government agencies with high numbers of employees filing for and receiving workers’ compensation benefits.

If you or someone you know needs assistance filing for workers’ compensation or appealing a decision regarding workers’ compensation benefits, contact the Champaign workers’ compensation lawyers of Bruno Law Offices at 217-328-6000 to learn more about your rights.

Earlier this month, the Illinois House of Representatives voted unanimously 111-0 in approval of a bill that would audit workers’ compensation claims made by employees of the state of Illinois.

The bill states that it will audit “the number of claims filed by state workers during the last four years, a review of the settlement contract process, an analysis of any fraud identification and control policies and procedures, an analysis of arbitrator caseloads over the four-year period, and a review of conflict of interest policies.”

The creators of the bill said that they wrote it after investigating a high number of workers’ compensation claims made by state prison employees and by state workers’ compensation auditors.

If you have been injured in a workplace accident, or as the result of unsafe working conditions, and are not receiving the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve, contact the Champaign workers’ compensation lawyers of Bruno Law Offices at 217-328-6000 today.

Today, the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission announced that they will be making changes to some of their procedures.  The two most significant changes include issuing a ban on uncontested claims and shifting some downstate arbitrators.

The IWCC decided to make changes after investigators looked into a report from 389 workers at the Menard Correctional Center in Chester regarding repetitive motion injuries.  Altogether, the workers received around $10 million in taxpayer-funded settlements.

If you have been injured as a result of workplace conditions, contact the Champaign workers’ compensation attorneys of Bruno Law Offices at 217-328-6000 today to speak with an experienced workers’ compensation about receiving the benefits you deserve.

A Belleville, Illinois roofing company, Barringer Brothers Roofing Inc., has been fined by the federal Occupation Safety and Health Administration for a variety workplace safety violations.  For all violations the company is being fined a total of $106,400.

Three of the violations were considered to be willful.  These violations involved insufficient fall protection for employees at a residential construction site.  Willful violations totaled $84,000.

Six of the violations were considered to be very serious and made up $16,800 of the fines.  The serious fines were for not having an accident prevention program and not giving a a fall hazards training program.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a workplace accident due to unsafe working conditions, contact the Champaign workers’ compensation lawyers of Bruno Law Offices at 217-328-6000 to learn more about your rights.