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Etzler Lawhead Legal Group, PC

Carpenter alleges LDC Homes fired him because he filed workers’ comp claim

By Workers' Compensation No Comments

A building company fired one of its carpenters to send a message to other employees to not file a workers’ compensation claim, a lawsuit states. LDC Homes, which is based in Edwardsville, terminated the employment of plaintiff Randy Klocke on June 13, according to the suit filed Nov. 15 in Madison County Circuit Court. Klocke had worked for the company…

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Physical therapy trending downward in comp: MedRisk

By Workers' Compensation No Comments

A provider of services to rehabilitating injured workers, MedRisk Inc. has seen post-surgical physical therapy cases drop by 26% in the last five years, according to an industry trends report the company released Thursday. For its annual report, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania-based MedRisk examined recent changes, including relevant legislation, regulation and research, scouring its own data and other industry reports…

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McDonald’s employees in Chicago sue over workplace violence

By Workers' Compensation No Comments

McDonald’s Corp employees on Thursday sued the fast food giant and several of its franchisees in Chicago over a store redesign that staffers say has made it easier for angry customers to leap over the counter and attack them. The suit, filed in Illinois’ Circuit Court of Cook County by 17 Chicago-area McDonald’s workers, claims McDonald’s has failed to protect…

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Politics driving debate over undocumented workers and comp

By Workers' Compensation No Comments

The ever-present immigration debate continues to spill into the workers compensation industry, with undocumented workers who are injured on the job left to consider whether to pursue medical care and benefits at the risk of arrest and deportation, experts say. Case law and state statutes vary widely regarding what benefits may be afforded to an injured undocumented worker, and these…

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Court Awards $3.3M in Injured Worker’s Retaliation Case

By Workers' Compensation No Comments

Dean Foods was ordered to pay $3.3 million in punitive damages after an Illinois jury found that the company retaliated against an employee who filed workers’ compensation claims. The jury found that Dean Foods refused to call Richard Jankowski back to work after his on-the-job injury and after he refused work that exceeded his medical restrictions, the Northwest Herald reported….

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Accused of Stalking, Worker Gets $26,000 in Settlement for Carpal Tunnel Injury

By Workers' Compensation No Comments

A former worker for Rock Island County, Illinois, once accused of accessing a co-worker’s computer, will receive thousands of dollars in a settlement with the county, including almost $26,000 for a workers’ compensation claim. Rock Island County board members this week approved the settlement, on the condition that Ronna Baney never seeks work with the county again, according to a…

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Couple claims dislodged pipe caused poisoning, brain injuries to themselves, child

By Personal Injury No Comments

A family claims they were poisoned by carbon monoxide and are blaming a dislodged furnace exhaust pipe, according to a lawsuit filed against a roofer they are allege was partly responsible. Amanda and Eric Zimmerman filed suit Nov. 1 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against roofer, Luis Perez who was hired as a sub-contractor to carry out work on…

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Alleged hit and run victim sues driver charged with aggravated assault, according to complaint

By Personal Injury No Comments

A pedestrian claiming he was the victim of a hit and run driver has filed suit against the motorist, whom the complaint states was later charged with aggravated battery. Ryan Gentelin filed suit against Roger Lawver amid claims the motorist was negligent and intoxicated when the incident happened on Langdon Street in Alton on Sept. 27. In his complaint, filed…

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Indiana Hospital Reports Failure to Disinfect Surgical Tools

By Personal Injury No Comments

Nearly 1,200 surgical patients may have been exposed to hepatitis, HIV and other infectious diseases due to a sterilization failure, a northern Indiana hospital says. A Goshen Hospital sterilization technician failed to complete one crucial step in the sterilizing process of some surgical equipment, potentially exposing to communicable diseases patients who underwent surgery at the hospital between April 1 and…

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Retail injuries in focus as holiday shopping season emerges

By Workers' Compensation No Comments

High rates of employee turnover and a young workforce may be behind increases in workplace injuries reported in the retail sector, but male employees and aging workers are cost drivers in retail workers compensation, according to two reports released in November detailing injury and illness rates for retail workers in 2018. Occupational injury and illness rates for all industries have…

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