Wood River homeowner Joanna Hendricks seeks sanctions against Benjamin Dona of Bethalto, claiming he failed to disclose previous injuries. Hendricks moved for sanctions on April 17, and Circuit Judge Sarah Smith set a hearing for May 18. Smith has set trial to start in July. Dona sued Hendricks in 2018, claiming his right shoulder popped when he lifted her yard…
A worker died after being injured at an Amazon warehouse in Fort Wayne in an incident that closed the facility for the rest of the day, authorities said. Emergency medical crews were called to an Amazon Fulfillment Center about noon Monday, Allen County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Cpl. Adam Griffith said. The worker was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead….
The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission has declared a Midwest roofing contractor in default after failing to properly address workplace safety violations, assessing full financial penalties against the company. The commission, in a March decision publicized Wednesday, found Joshua Herion, and his Waukegan, Illinois-based company, ECS Roofing Professionals Inc., in default after the company refused to comply with proceedings…
Illinois lawmakers are considering two bills that would establish limits on causation for compensable workplace injuries and redraft medical fee schedules in workers compensation. H.B. 4082, introduced Wednesday, would set parameters on what constitutes an injury that occurs “out of and in the course of employment.” The bill states that such an injury would be compensable “only if the accident…
A second bill that would create a closed drug formulary for injured workers in Illinois was introduced Thursday, in line with a yearslong trend among lawmakers there aiming to mandate how drugs are prescribed under workers compensation. H.B. 4087, which was referred to the rules committee, calls on the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, upon consultation with the Workers’ Compensation Medical…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker this week signed a law providing full disability benefits to Chicago police officers and firefighters struck by COVID-19 before vaccines were available, presiding over an emotional statehouse ceremony which marked the end of a financial struggle for responders including the brother of Comptroller Susana Mendoza. The Act-of-Duty law, HB3162, ensures disability benefits of 75% of salary plus…
A man is suing Illinois water companies, alleging he fell in a meter hole because the cover wasn’t securely placed. Plaintiff Patrick J. McDermott filed the lawsuit in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against Illinois-American Water Company, American Water Works Company, Inc. and American Water Works Service Company, Inc., citing negligence. According to the lawsuit, the defendants are responsible…
Madison County jurors awarded motorist Kyle Plummer $77,800 during a re-trial for a lawsuit involving a Godfrey collision. The re-trial began April 17 in Circuit Judge Sarah Smith’s courtroom. Jurors reached their verdict on April 19, awarding Plummer $20,000 for medical expenses, $52,800 for lost earnings and $5,000 for pain and suffering. Jurors previously awarded plaintiff Kyle Plummer $20,000 following…
A man is suing the Altitude Trampoline Park in Glen Carbon after he allegedly injured himself by jumping onto a metal rod that was hidden in the foam pit. Plaintiff Stephen Schranck filed the lawsuit in the Madison County Circuit Court against Aim High Glen Carbon, LLC, and Vertical, LLC doing business as Altitude Trampoline Park, citing negligence. According to…
The utilization of nonhospital and hospital outpatient services in the Illinois workers compensation system decreased in 2020, the drop attributed to medical facility closures and service limitations during the beginning of the pandemic, according to a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute. Tuesday’s study said the percentage of workers comp claims with major surgery decreased mostly in the…
