Francisco J. Botto     Carolina A. Schottland

Workers' Compensation Lawyers

You have worked hard for your employer and have contributed to your employer's success. Your efforts and skills have been invaluable in helping your employer grow its business, meet its commitments to its customers and meet profit goals.

Unfortunately, all workplaces involve a degree of risk. In exchange for the risk of workplace injuries, you deserve and are legally owed financial compensation if you are hurt on the job.

If you are injured on the job, you also deserve effective and committed legal help. At the workers' compensation law firm of Botto Gilbert Schottland Lancaster PC., we have helped thousands of individuals obtain their full workers' compensation benefits since 1981.

Botto Gilbert Schottland Lancaster PC Fighting for the Rights of Workers for over 25 Years. Call 815.338.3838 or 800.338.3833.

Your Rights Under the Workers' Compensation Act

Under the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act, injured workers have three major groups of rights:

• They are entitled to have all medical bills that are reasonable and necessary paid in full by the Workers' Compensation insurance carrier — provided that they have been able to establish a causal connection between the injury and their employment, and gave proper notice. They are also entitled to consult with two doctors of their choice.
• The injured worker is entitled to temporary total disability (TTD) payments during the time that they are temporarily disabled due to the injury. Insurance companies, however, frequently delay providing these benefits to the employee, or simply refuse to issue the checks for a variety of reasons. The goal of the insurance company is to force the worker back to work as soon as possible.
• Injured workers may also be entitled to permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits — and in some cases, they may receive permanent total disability (PTD) benefits — for more severe injuries. And others are eligible for wage differential compensation and/or vocational training.

If the injured worker does not have an attorney, the insurance company will often ignore PPD or PTD benefits altogether. Once the injured worker is back on the job or stops receiving treatment, the insurance company will close the file, hoping the worker decides not to pursue any benefits beyond the medical bills that have been paid. When injured workers do this, it saves the insurance companies millions of dollars. In other cases, the insurance company will extend an offer which is seriously below the real value of the case.

We handle workers' compensation claims at all stages of the workers' compensation claims process. We can:

• Order and review your medical records.
• Strengthen your case by comprehensively addressing the concerns and criteria of the workers' compensation board.
• Attend your hearing and try your case before the arbitrator.

Although it would be ideal to handle your workers' compensation case at the onset of your injuries, we handle workers' compensation cases at all stages of the claims process. Insurance companies will not encourage you to seek compensation for permanent disability, physical therapy or surgery once initial medical care is provided. We can prepare your claim and help protect your rights.

Third Party Claims

In addition to workers' compensation claims, we handle third-party claims, which allow for further compensation against liable third parties even after workers' compensation benefits are paid. We have represented numerous carpenters, bricklayers, and other tradesmen in third party lawsuits against contractors and/or subcontractors.

Contact Us

If you have questions regarding workman's comp and third-party claims, contact a firm with over 25 years of experience. No recovery – no fee. We offer flexible appointment scheduling and can visit you in your home if you are unable to travel. We are conveniently located just off Route 47 near the McHenry County Courthouse. To contact a lawyer, call 815.338.3838 or 800.338.3833.