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Warehouse workers at Amazon face similar hazards to workers in any other warehouse. However, according to one study, Amazon workers get injured more than twice as many times as workers in other warehouse jobs. In 2021, there were more than 34,000 serious injuries to employees while on the job at Amazon facilities. Among all warehouse workers in the United States, Amazon employees make up roughly one-third of these workers, but nearly half of all injuries (49%)  happened at Amazon facilities.
Like any personal injury lawsuit, you’ll first need to prove that another person or business entity is responsible for your injuries and was negligent. Where a case becomes more complicated for a self-employed person is in the calculation of lost wages. If you work for someone else, either as an hourly or salaried employee, it is rather straightforward to calculate how many hours or days of work you lost due to your injuries and provide a letter stating what regular compensation and bonuses, commissions, or other forms of compensation you missed out on. You can also include any sick, vacation, or bonus days you had to use during your hospitalization and recovery. If you are self-employed, the process becomes more complicated.
If you’ve been injured on the job, you’ll need to file a claim first with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. In Illinois, you’re allowed to select your own doctor to treat workers’ comp injuries. This is so that you have a better chance of securing a physician who has your recovery and best interests in mind, rather than one who has a vested interest in the insurance company’s profits.  You will, however, need to secure a doctor who accepts workers’ comp insurance, so make sure you let them know upfront that you were injured on the job, and it will be the company’s insurance policy paying. The doctor will need to know this information ahead of time because the insurer will certainly require the doctor to obtain authorization before performing certain treatments or tests.
If you were injured in a trucking accident in Chicago, Berwyn, Oak Lawn, Cicero, or a nearby community, call the injury attorneys at Lloyd Miller Law for a free consultation.

Call: 773-838-8100

Understanding Crossover Cases in Illinois

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Team of Partners in a Law Firm Working Diligently on a Case

Some cases may involve a work-related accident that results from both an employer and another negligent party, in what is known as crossover cases. These types of cases can be difficult to navigate because the injured party must be able to identify both negligent parties and prove that they were at fault.

What Is a Crossover Case?

A crossover case in Illinois may allow injured workers to pursue compensation from both their employers and third parties via workers’ compensation claims. In a crossover case, the negligence of both an employer and another person or entity may have contributed to an accident and any subsequent work injuries.

A majority of work-related accidents entail recovering compensation through workers’ compensation insurance, which ordinarily covers lost wages and medical expenses after these accidents. Certain cases may enable injury victims to file a separate personal injury claim to recover other types of damages, including pain and suffering.

How Crossover Cases Work

Work injury victims will navigate workers’ compensation differently from personal injury cases. For instance, victims don’t need to prove that an employer was at fault to recover workers’ compensation benefits, as long as the injury took place within the scope of employment. On the other hand, victims will need to prove negligence caused an accident and injuries in personal injury claims before they qualify for compensation.

There are several complexities involved in crossover cases that require victims to procure as much evidence as they can to sufficiently support their injury claim. This documentation may include medical bills, medical records, and depositions.

Claimants also need to keep in mind that workers’ compensation cases are considerably shorter than personal injury claims because of shorter statutes of limitations. This could benefit claimants as investigations can take place early on well before filing a personal injury claim.

Building a Case With Attorneys

Crossover cases in Illinois often entail working with a personal injury lawyer along with a workers’ compensation attorney, as both can collaborate on a case. Some attorneys will have ample experience in both areas and may help put together a strong crossover case. Experience handling both personal injury and workers’ comp cases can help consolidate and organize all evidence.

If an injured worker believes that his or her employer shared responsibility with another party, he or she may have the chance to file a successful crossover case.

About the Author

Kurt D. Lloyd is a plaintiff’s trial lawyer who focuses on medical malpractice and other catastrophic injury cases. He lives in Chicago and represents injured clients throughout Illinois. He is also the founder of Lloyd Law Group, Ltd.

Chicago accident lawyer Kurt D. Lloyd