American Airlines Workers' Compensation Claims in Illinois

American Airlines (AA) has deep roots in Chicago. In 2026, the airline is celebrating its 100th year of service at O’Hare International Airport. O’Hare is its third-largest hub in the entire country. American employs thousands of workers in the Chicago area across a wide range of roles, and that number is growing.

Outside of O’Hare, American Airlines also has a significant presence at regional airports in Illinois including Bloomington/Normal, Champaign/Urbana, Moline/Quad Cities, Peoria, and Springfield. Flights in and out of Marion is an upcoming addition.

This means that thousands of Illinois workers show up for American Airlines every single day and sometimes AA employees are hurt on the job. We help AA injured workers by connecting them with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney who knows how to best represent AA employees. Contact us any time at 312-346-5320 for a free consultation with an experienced lawyer. We have helped tens of thousands of injured workers since 2001 and would love to help you.

We hear from AA employees who have been injured on the ramp, in the airport terminals, in maintenance hangars, on the tarmac, and in the air. Many airline jobs involve hard, physical work that carries a risk of injury with it. For example, ground crew and baggage handlers are lifting and moving heavy luggage and cargo under time constraints. They operate vehicles and work outdoors in extreme weather conditions. Mechanics and maintenance techs work with heavy tools and machinery and often work up high. Flight attendants assist with loading overhead bins and are often not seated with a seatbelt on during turbulence. And of course there are plenty of workers for American who get hurt on layovers in Illinois. We can help those workers too, even if they get hurt while away from the airport or aircraft.

We see a wide variety of work injuries that AA employees suffer, but the most common ones include: back and disc injuries, shoulder injuries (rotator cuff and labrum damage), knee injuries, concussion and head injuries, hearing loss, hernias and a wide variety repetitive stress injuries. Of course, injured workers will suffer injuries to pretty much every part of their body.

After having a work accident or being aware of a repetitive trauma injury, there are steps that every worker should do. This includes:

• Notify your employer within 45 days of the injury/accident. The sooner the better. If you wait beyond that time you will lose your rights.
• Seek medical attention. The longer you wait to see a doctor after a work accident, the harder it is to prove your injuries are work related.
• Follow up with your doctor if needed. You do not want to have gaps in your medical care as that will create a defense.

You also need to beware of Sedgwick, the company that administers workers’ compensation claims for American. They have a deserved reputation of being ruthless and aggressive on how they defend and fight these cases. That is their job and having American as a client is big business for them. So you must understand that they are not looking out for you. They want to keep the American Airlines business and to them, you are just another claim to fight.

A good Illinois workers’ compensation attorney will protect you. Getting the right attorney to represent you and get the full benefits you deserve is where we come in. We know which attorneys have a track record of success in fighting Sedgwick. These are lawyers who care about their clients, take cases to trial when needed and get the biggest settlements possible when your care is all done.

That doesn’t guarantee a result, but it gives you the best possible chance for a successful outcome. These lawyers work on a contingency fee basis which means there is no fee unless you win your case. Under Illinois law, work comp attorney fees are capped at 20% of your settlement.

Complete our contact form, start a chat, or call us at 312-346-5320 for a free consultation. We would love to help you and promise to give you the same free and confidential advice we would give to a friend or family member.