Michael Helfand

We talk to 5-10 injured Illinois workers every single day. Since we started in 2001, we have proudly helped tens of thousands of injured workers. I thought it would be interesting to list various scenarios we’ve heard so far in 2025. The lesson is that a lot of injuries are common, and workers get hurt in all sorts of ways.

Here are 100 examples. There are repeats of fact patterns as we listed them in the order they were received. If you want to speak with a lawyer for FREE, call us any time at 312-346-5320.

1. A worker at a big shipping company has to have annual hearing exams and has lost hearing due to it being such a loud environment.
2. A delivery driver hurt his leg and returned to work with restrictions. Those restrictions aren’t being followed which is making the injury worse.
3. Laborer at a huge company smashed his hand when he was ordered to do work he hadn’t trained on and wasn’t given proper safety procedures.
4. A RN has PTSD and an arm injury after being attacked by a patient.
5. We were called by a guy who tore his ACL and went to the hospital. He wanted to leave as he was in pain and had seen the doctor. His employer sid he had to stay until he was drug tested. By the time he called us it had been three hours and he wanted to know if he could leave.
6. A woman with a back injury at work was at home when she had a shooting pain in her back that caused her to lose her balance and fall, resulting in a broken arm.
7. A caller wanted to switch work comp attorneys since his lawyer was rude to him and often didn’t call back.
8. A delivery driver was injury when a customer backed their car into her.
9. City worker injured his back when a chair broke. He delayed seeing a doctor for three weeks so his case was denied.
10. Injured worker wanted to switch lawyers because they felt they were being pressured into taking a low settlement.
11. Spanish speaker was told they weren’t allowed to file for work comp because they hadn’t been on the job long enough (that’s not a thing).
12. Truck driver who was paid as a 1099 was injured while making a delivery for a Chicago area trucking outfit that calls all of their drivers 1099’s. They have control over him so he should be classified as an employee.
13. Another 1099 truck driver (there are so many who get misclassified) tore his labrum when he slipped off the truck.
14. Woman works from home for a school and types all day and has carpal tunnel.
15. Worker got a settlement offer without a lawyer and wanted to see if it was a good offer. We determined she’d need a future surgery which made the case worth a lot more money.
16. Material handler is on their feet 8-10 hours a day and has to wear steel toed boots. They’ve developed plantar fasciitis.
17. Amazon worker has work restrictions and says the company is making her sit at the plant all day and do nothing.
18. Cashier was robbed at gun point and has severe PTSD which is being fought because she treated for a separate psychological issue two years ago.
19. Guy who types all day was told he has carpal tunnel, but can’t get an EMG, the test used to prove carpal tunnel, for over four months.
20. A worker who fell off a ladder and has a brain injury was seeking help because his TTD checks are always late.
21. Woman fell at work and hit her head. She was diagnosed with a concussion. A week later her shoulder started to hurt. She has a torn rotator cuff. The insurance company is disputing the shoulder injury part of the case.
22. A Coca Cola worker hurt their back while lifting materials.
23. A CNA hurt her arm on three separate occasions while lifting patients.
24. An Amazon worker who wears special shoes and pulls pallets has plantar fasciiitis.
25. A guy with a neck injury has been treating for over six months, but had his benefits cut off after a IME.
26. An injured worker applied for short term disability benefits and called us for that. Didn’t know that work comp was a thing and we helped him get those benefits.
27. Special education teacher has a leg injury after a student threw a chair at her.
28. A caller wanted to know what the new PPD and TTD rates are for 2025.
29. Factory worker hurt his back. His boss said, “I don’t care what the law says, we aren’t turning this into our work comp insurance.”
30. A different factory worker says his boss told him to lie and say he was hurt at home, with a promise they’d pay his bills. We see that type of lie all the time.
31. A custodian hurt his knee but was having trouble getting benefits because he’s essentially illiterate so he can’t fill out the paper work in the way the insurance company is requiring.
32. A RN hurt her back when she fell on a floor that was soaked in urine from a patient’s catheter bag being punctured.
33. IT worker broke his foot, had surgery and then got fired.
34. A security officer at his school hurt himself breaking up a student fight.
35. An executive at a company broke his leg while taking clients out to dinner when he stepped in a pot hole.
36. Cashier at Sam’s Club for over ten years reached out to ask how to prove that their carpal tunnel is work related.
37. A business man hurt his shoulder on the job and wanted to switch lawyers because his did not communicate. He had to take money out of his 401k since his TTD checks were late.
38. Teacher had to go to the district office for a work meeting and got into a car accident on the way back.
39. A downstate mechanic wanted to have a lawyer on the case before he went to the IME the insurance company requested.
40. Work comp insurance company told a worker they’d cover everything, but they won’t return phone calls from his PT facility so he can’t get treatment.
41. McDonald’s manager had a slip and fall from what he thinks was a greasy floor and hurt his elbow.
42. A suburban machine assembly worker has been doing the same job for years and has been diagnosed with DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis.
43. A woman works on copy machines including repairs and deliveries. She has a shoulder injury that she and her doctor believe is from overuse.
44. A flight attendant fell from turbulence and broke their hip.
45. Construction worker with a herniated disc had his case denied due to a pre-existing condition even though his orthopedic doctor was in his corner.
46. A guy had shoulder surgery after a work injury, but called because the insurance company is refusing to make a settlement offer.
47. A refugee with a work visa was told that only citizens are eligible for Illinois workers comp benefits. This of course isn’t true.
48. A business traveler went to the Netherlands for work. Couldn’t get a car out of the airport so they walked two miles to their hotel and somehow tore a meniscus doing so.
49. Airport shuttle driver blew out his shoulder while helping a passenger with their luggage. The case was denied since he didn’t go to the doctor for a week.
50. Injured worker wants to switch attorneys because their TTD keeps starting and stopping and they don’t feel like their lawyer is doing anything about it.
51. FedEx driver out of Illinois was hit by a car making a deliver in Missouri.
52. Welder in central Illinois tore his labrum, likely due to so much overhead work.
53. Home health aide took a client to the bathroom. The aide wears a gait belt. The client pulled on that to try to help lift herself off the toilet which caused the care worker to fall.
54. A guy who was hurt three years ago and has seven arm surgeries called us because he was back at work on restrictions and the company doctor was saying he should be good as new by now.
55. IDOC guard hurt his hip breaking up a fight.
56. Worker with a back injury wanted a second medical opinion and wanted to make sure they did it the right way so they didn’t get stuck with the bills.
57. A Granite City nurse felt the adjuster was blowing her off as she’s waited over a month to find out if her claim was approved.
58. An Amazon worker wanted to get a new lawyer because the lawyer she hired had her sign an overly broad medical release form.
59. In one of my favorite calls, a woman wanted a new lawyer because she realized that the attorney she hired is full of it. That’s because he lists a “Top 10 lawyer in the nation” award on his website and she learned that is just an award that anyone who is willing to pay for it can get.
60. A woman fell and fractured her elbow. When she tried to see her orthopedic doctor the insurance company insisted she instead go to an urgent care.
61. Butcher tore his rotator cuff from repetitive use of his right arm.
62. Worker fell and hurt her knee. The employer made her stay for four more hours since there was nobody available to cover her shift.
63. Mechanic got a hernia while lifting an engine.
64. Steel fell on the foot of the person who called us. All x-rays are normal, but he’s still in terrible pain and nobody knows why.
65. A streets and sanitation worker hurt his back filling a pothole.
66. A grocery store worker “wrenched her body” when she fell in the freezer.
67. Guy hurt his back at work and when he returned after missing two months they cut his wages and hours.
68. A landscaper had over 50 stitches on his leg after he was cut with a blade.
69. A woman hurt her knee at work. Had an injection because the company doctor suggested it and now she feels worse.
70. Walmart worker has a back injury with a surgery recommendation. They don’t want the surgery, but are not able to get approved for a second opinion.
71. Belleville worker has a back injury and wants a lawyer because the insurance company said he has to let a nurse case manager attend the appointments. This is not true.
72. A machinist caught his hand in a machine and had to have surgery.
73. Warehouse worker saw a co-worker get run over by a forklift and got PTSD.
74. Worker hurt his back and hip and then took a vacation with his girlfriend. She posted pictures on Instagram so now the employer is questioning if he’s really hurt.
75. A caller was hurt at work twice. The first one he didn’t report because he was scared he’d lose his job. The second he did and went to the ER. Now two years later he discovered that bill isn’t paid.
76. Temp agency worker fractured his foot and doesn’t want to do the light duty work he’s been assigned.
77. City worker was shoveling snow and tore a muscle in his shoulder and hurt his elbow.
78. Machinist was diagnosed with a shoulder injury, but it turns out it’s a neck injury. The insurance company denied the case because his initial complaints were to the shoulder.
79. A secretary was fired for leaving her desk to go to the bathroom. She thinks it’s really because she was hurt at work and now wants help with the work comp case.
80. A drug and alcohol counselor was attacked at a facility due to there not being enough staff/security.
81. A Michigan worker was hurt in Illinois two years ago and filed a case there. He just learned he could file a case here and is doing so because the benefits are much better.
82. A counselor at a prison fell and hurt her back.
83. A worker hurt her elbow at her job and then quit. She’s been on a new job for four months and the elbow is feeling much worse.
84. A nurse was injured on the job and working on light duty. She got suspended for poor service and wanted to know if she should get paid while off work since she’s on work restrictions. The answer is yes.
85. A doctor hit his head and has been off a year. Felt it’s time to get a lawyer.
86. A 7-11 worker went outside for a smoke break and slipped on ice, breaking her ankle.
87. Delivery company worker was attacked by a co-worker who felt they weren’t pulling their weight.
88. A University employee was required to park in a certain parking garage that is just for employees and broke her wrist when she tripped over a curb she couldn’t see because it was dark.
89. Deli worker lacerated his hand and was referred to a specialist for a nerve injury. Can’t get a call back to get this treatment approved.
90. A warehouse worker tore his rotator cuff. His case is under investigation because he hurt the same shoulder in the military about ten years ago.
91. A manager at a fast food restaurant was back at work following treatment for a non work injury. A week into his return he slipped because the ice machine wasn’t working and broke his elbow.
92. A concrete cutter was hurt lifting a slab and is in terrible pain. His doctor said he shouldn’t do that type of work any more.
93. Caller fell off a roof and hurt his shoulder from trying to grab a tree branch on the way down in order to slow his fall.
94. A carpenter shot himself in the hand with a nail gun. His boss says he shouldn’t get work comp since it was his fault. That’s not the law.
95. An injured worker has a lawyer but wants to switch because every month he’s told they are going to court and then nothing happens. Says it’s been this way for 11 months.
96. Woman called for her fiance who was in the hospital. The truck he was driving flipped over after it blew a tire.
97. A construction worker’s boss made him work at his home and he fell off a ladder while doing that.
98. A nanny was walking the kids to school when one fell down and dragged her down with them causing a knee injury.
99. A City worker with a back injury says “I hired one of those billboard guys which was a huge mistake. They are so busy and I can never get a lawyer on the phone. I want a new one.”
100. A contractor for a big delivery company tore his Achilles while running from a dog.

We were able to help almost all of these callers which is the best part of this job. Please call us any time for a free consultation.

See also: Does Your Illinois Attorney Hate His Job?

We are experienced Illinois lawyers. Contact us at 312-346-5320 for a free consultation about medical malpractice lawsuits.

When you’re having a medical emergency, every second counts. Having a delay in care can lead to serious or life-changing consequences. One of the scariest situations is when a doctor or hospital doesn’t recognize the signs of a stroke. A stroke is a true medical emergency, and if it’s not caught and treated right away, it can cause permanent brain damage, problems with walking or speaking, or even death. If something like this happened to you or a loved one, you may have a case for medical malpractice.

A stroke happens when blood can’t get to the brain like it’s supposed to. This cuts off oxygen and can start damaging brain cells quickly. There are two main kinds of strokes. One is called a hemorrhagic stroke, which happens when there’s bleeding in the brain. The other kind is an ischemic stroke, which happens when a blood vessel to the brain gets blocked. An ischemic stroke is more common. It can happen as you are going about your daily life or during a medical procedure.

Some of the warning signs of a stroke include sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg (especially on one side of the body), trouble speaking or understanding others, confusion, vision problems, dizziness, trouble walking, or a really bad headache that comes out of nowhere.

Because strokes can get worse fast, getting help right away is critical. There are treatments, like clot-busting drugs or surgery, that can make a huge difference. Getting the right care quickly might mean the difference between making a strong recovery or living with serious disabilities or worse, death.

Unfortunately, strokes are still missed way too often by medical professionals. This happens more with younger people, or when someone doesn’t show the “typical” symptoms, or when they don’t have the usual stroke risk factors. Some of the biggest mistakes doctors make include brushing off symptoms like dizziness or headaches as something minor like migraines or anxiety. In other cases, they don’t order the right tests, like a CT scan or MRI, or they wait too long to give treatment. Sometimes doctors rush through an exam and miss the signs altogether.

If you or someone you care about had a stroke in Illinois and the doctors didn’t catch it or treated it too late, we want to help. You don’t pay anything to start a case, and we’ll make sure one of the best firms in the state reviews your situation. These cases can be worth millions of dollars because of the lifelong care stroke victims may need. Call us any time at 312-346-5320. We help people all over Illinois.

A reader of our blog asked us the following:

I was hurt on the job and have a back injury. I’ve been off work for three weeks now. When do I start getting paid work comp benefits. I have bills!

This is a really common situation. The answer is that you should get paid within the first two weeks of missed time. Under Illinois workers’ compensation law, benefits start on the 4th calendar day of missed work. Once you miss 14 calendar days, you get those first three days back too.

It’s important to remember, calendar days is not actual work days missed. In other words, if you get hurt on a Thursday, miss work on Friday and Monday, but are back to work on Tuesday, you are still owed for the one calendar missed even though you don’t work on the weekend. These lost time payments are called temporary total disability or TTD benefits.

Insurance companies will often delay payment of TTD benefits like they did in the above example. It often happens for bogus reasons such as them saying they are still investigating, need more information, are waiting on medical records or for no reason at all. They can’t just not pay until they feel like it.

Unfortunately they will delay or deny benefits to put pressure on you. In longer term injuries with a lot of missed time, some checks will be late or “lost” or they’ll refuse to do things which can result in you being paid quickly such as direct deposit.

The only efficient way to push back if this happens is to hire an attorney and have them file a 19b petition as well as a petition for penalties and fees. The first petition gets your case before an Arbitrator much faster than it could otherwise. The second punishes the insurance company for their unreasonable delay in making the payments that they owe you.

And it is unreasonable and unlawful for them not to pay you if a doctor takes you off work for a work injury and they don’t have any actual evidence to counter that. Fortunately, Illinois work comp laws are really strong and there is a good way to push back. Beyond that, getting an attorney who knows what they are doing helps stop any other nonsense you might not be aware of such as them talking directly to your doctor.

If you have been hurt on the job in Illinois and have any questions or want an attorney referral, please fill out our contact form or call us to speak with a lawyer for free at 312-346-5320.