Chances are that if you have made the decision to apply for disability, you have talked to your doctor first about whether you qualify for disability. If your doctor has said that you’re disabled, you may not feel the need to hire an attorney because your doctor’s word should be good enough, right? Wrong. SSA…
At times, when an offer is communicated to a client, the client responds with a quick, “that’s not a good offer.” The client’s response may or may not be accurate. What strikes me though, is how did the client determine what his case is worth? Ultimately, every case is worth what the arbitrator would award…
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?” –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So often in our busy lives we end up with blinders on that keep us focused only on ourselves, our jobs, our close family and friends. And even though our jobs may involve helping others in some…
Part of the job of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission is to determine if a worker’s condition of ill-being resulted from work. Often a person’s condition of ill- being has what is called an insidious outset. An insidious onset occurs where a person’s condition worsens over time through no apparent cause. The person’s body is…
Open Medical Rights? What to do when your former attorney won’t help get treatment approved after your case has closed. Over the years, Black & Jones has had several new clients come into our office lost and unsure what to do. Their former attorneys won’t respond to their phone calls after their file closes. They…
Wondering how best to decide which law firm to hire for your workers’ compensation claim or Social Security Disability claim? There are four important factors to consider—the law firm’s reputation, the attitude of the firm’s attorneys who will be assigned to your case, the law firm’s experience with cases like yours, and the location of…
What happens when a work related injury leaves you with permanent restrictions and your employer cannot accommodate those restrictions? You find yourself without a job, without an income, and very little hope that you will find an employer who is willing to tolerate your restrictions. Often times when accommodating work is found, it is for…
Now more than ever, it is important to hire an attorney for your workers’ compensation injury. Governor Rauner wants to reform the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act, claiming that Illinois workers are paid too much money for their injuries, too many injuries are compensable, and the medical expenses are too high. Governor Rauner claims Illinois is…
Have you received a letter from the worker’s compensation insurance carrier telling you that they are denying approval for medical treatment recommended by your doctor? You need to know that their “decision” is not necessarily final. Insurance companies deny treatment for several reasons. Sometimes it is simply because they do not have the complete medical…
Does the law firm you are thinking about hiring have the abilities to employ legal procedures to your benefit? When used properly, legal procedures are often more effective in getting a client what he needs than the law itself. This is especially true with the cumbersome legal procedures found in an Illinois Workers’ Compensation case….
The holidays are right around the corner. Last week, we posted a video on our Facebook page last week that my daughter created of the staff dancing and singing as little elves. While it was fun and we all at Black & Jones got a good laugh at seeing how goofy everyone looked, I keep…
Change is never easy nor is it easy to predict. No matter how much research one does nor how critical one analyzes the data there is always the “didn’t see that coming” factor. Two stark examples of where the “didn’t see that coming” factor involve the 1850 prediction of what New York City would look like one…
