Warehouse Accidents

Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Assisting Victims in Wheaton and Schaumburg

Warehouses can be dangerous places to work with all of the heavy-duty machinery and risks of trip and fall accidents. If you have been injured in a warehouse accident while you were working, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. At Therman Law Offices, our Wheaton and Schaumburg warehouse accident lawyers understand how to represent injured workers and help them secure the medical assistance and other benefits that they are entitled to receive for their harm. With decades of combined experience, we can meticulously analyze the facts of your case and advocate for your rights at every step of the way.

Claims Arising from Warehouse Accidents

According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), more than 145,000 people work in more than 7,000 warehouses in the United States. Unfortunately, injuries in a warehouse are all too common. For example, OSHA found that forklift-related accidents cause approximately 100 deaths each year, as well as about 61,800 injuries. With this type of heavy machinery and other electrical tools, workers require a certain level of skill and training before they can work safely in these places. Heavy lifting, falling objects, and repetitive tasks can all pose a risk to worker safety. Warehouse accidents can happen in situations such as:

• Slip, trip, and falls;
• Forklift accidents (the forklift hitting someone or tipping over);
• Forklift or machinery defects;
• Electric shock;
• Lack of supervision and safety standards;
• Loading dock accidents;
• Stacking collapse;
• Machine press accidents;
• Repetitive stress injuries; or
• Falls from heights or ladders.

If you have been injured in a warehouse accident while you were working, a warehouse accident attorney in the Wheaton or Schaumburg areas will likely be able to help you recover benefits through an Illinois workers’ compensation claim. Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance that pays monetary benefits, such as medical costs and lost wages, to workers who become injured, ill, or disabled due to a workplace accident. The insurance premium is paid entirely by the employer and is free for the employee. The process of obtaining workers’ compensation benefits should be handled by a skilled attorney who can investigate the circumstances of your accident.

Generally, workers’ compensation is the exclusive remedy for most employment-related injuries, meaning that a worker hurt in a construction accident cannot file a lawsuit against their employer or co-worker. In the event that a third party caused your injury, however, you may be able to file a third-party personal injury claim in addition to your workers’ compensation claim. Third-party lawsuits allow injured workers to receive forms of compensation, such as pain and suffering, that are not available through workers’ compensation. For example, if a worker was injured due to faulty machinery, a Wheaton or Schaumburg warehouse accident attorney may be able to help them sue the manufacturer or retailer of the machinery.

The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC) is the government agency responsible for handling all workers’ compensation claims. This government body acts as an impartial administrative court that answers claims. Of course, in any case, there is a possibility that an injured worker’s claim for benefits will be unjustly denied. A claim can be denied for a number of reasons, ranging from allegedly missing the deadline to failing to notify your employer about the injury to the employer disputing how the injury happened. Regardless of the reason why your claim was denied, we can examine your case and help you appeal the decision to the IWCC and even further, if appropriate.

Get Advice from a Warehouse Accident Lawyer in Schaumburg or Wheaton

Warehouse accidents can have serious, even lifelong consequences for a worker. In the most extreme cases, warehouse accidents can result in death. If you or someone close to you has been involved in a warehouse accident, you need to contact an attorney as soon as possible. At Therman Law Offices, we are committed to helping people in Schaumburg, Wheaton, Elmhurst, West Chicago, Lemont, Westmont, Oakbrook Terrace, Clarendon Hills, Downers Grove, Lisle, Darien, and Bolingbrook, among other cities. For a free case evaluation, do not hesitate to call us at 312-588-1900 or contact us online.