The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission conducted an emergency public hearing by telephone yesterday afternoon to discuss further amendments to the Rules Governing Practice, specifically Commission Rule 9030.70, which they had amended on an emergency basis 2 days prior. The result of the revised emergency rule is that any covered Illinois employer, private, public for-profit or…
The IL IWCC just issued the following update: Beginning Monday March 23, 2020, the Commission will move forward with the below Emergency Motion Call for EMERGENCY motions, ONLY. An “Emergency Arbitrator” will be available at the locations and on the dates and times set in the below schedule (this will be updated on a weekly…
On May 17, 2019, Governor JB Pritzker signed SB 1596 into law as Public Act 101-0006. The new law amends the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act and the Occupational Diseases Act by removing the exclusive remedy provisions of those Acts as to employees whose latent work injuries manifest more than 25 years after the last date of…
Earlier this year, the Medical Fee Advisory Board to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission passed a Motion (5-3) recommending that the IWCC increase certain medical CPT coded fees by 30%. Section 8.2 of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act grants the IWCC authority to make changes in the Fee Schedule when there exists “a significant limitation…
In a recent case before an arbitrator at the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, Partner Steve Murdock prevailed in defense of an alleged claim for repetitive trauma, both on issues of accident and medical causal connection. Claimant alleged that as a machine operator for more than two decades on a packaging line she frequently used her…
Please join us as we conduct a mock trial for an Illinois worker’s compensation case. We will demonstrate how to present a defense with strategic consideration of the burden of proof and evidentiary rules, and use of lay and expert witnesses. We will conduct direct and cross examination as well close proofs at the end…
The Illinois Legislature has been busy with Workers’ Compensation related bills and we have been busy keeping our readers up to date. There are 3 bills that we have been following, and we want to take a few minutes to bring to our readers’ attention: HB 2622 – Creates a non-profit, taxpayer funded mutual insurance…
Inman & Fitzgibbons, Ltd. attorneys Allison P. Mecher and Lauren L. Waninski recently presented “The Life of a Workers’ Compensation Claim” to the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. In this presentation, they discussed the intricacies of handling a litigated workers’ compensation claim before the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission from start to finish, as well as what to expect…
In addition to our regular duties defending employers and insurers across the Midwest, I&F maintains a dedicated Legislative Watch Group that stays up to date on all relevant legislative and administrative matters in the jurisdictions in which we practice. Although we are still waiting for a state budget(!), Illinois legislators are managing to stay busy…
Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Ms. Ketki Steffen as an arbitrator for the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Ms. Steffen had formerly been an arbitrator with the Commission and will call upon her extensive workers’ compensation experience in her newly appointed role.
