Chicago Illinois Legal Blog

Some jobs in Illinois are more dangerous than others. Nearly every worker in every type of industry can suffer a personal injury on the job. There several workplace injuries that are most common in the average job setting. Even if a person works behind a desk in an office, it pays to have a basic understanding of the workers' compensation claim process in case an injury or legal problem arises.

Heat-related injuries such as burns are among the most common across the country. Nearly 16,000 workers suffer thermal injuries every year. Such injuries typically necessitate taking six or more days off work to recover. Those who are regularly exposed to the elements as well as those who work near chemicals and other hazardous substances are at risk for these types of injuries.

There are approximately 13,000 mines in the United States, some of which are located in Illinois. The mining industry is prone to workplace accidents. In fact, it is known to be one of the most dangerous industries of all. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it has come up with a way to keep miners safer on the job.

As many as 6,000 workers are injured in mines every year. While some miners suffer injuries in unexpected accidents, others develop lung diseases and other illnesses due to exposure to toxins in the workplace. The CDC claims that failure to implement safety procedures and adhere to regulations increases the number of worker injuries that occur in the mining industry.

Like most other states, Illinois roadways are often highly congested with traffic that is moving at highway speeds. It often takes great caution, alertness and swift reactions to avoid a collision. When drivers are addicted to smartphones, they tend to use their phones while driving, even when there are laws prohibiting it. In fact, many motor vehicle accidents are caused by distracted drivers who were using smartphones at the time.

One can often recognize a smartphone addict by certain symptoms. For instance, a person who becomes angry or agitated upon losing access to his or her phone is suggestive of addiction. This person might also have trouble sleeping at night due to too much blue screen light during the day. If he or she also has trouble keeping still without looking at his or her phone every few minutes, it is logical to assume that the individual has become addicted to the phone. 

An Illinois food supply worker was seriously injured on the job. As a result, he filed a workers' compensation claim. Sometime later, when he learned additional information that implicated fault on the part of someone other than his employer, he filed a lawsuit against that person.

The worker was employed at a food supply company and was performing maintenance on a fudge mixer when the accident occurred. While he was working, someone turned on the mixer, which caused severe hand damage to the worker. He lost several fingers in the tragic incident.