Just because something should happen doesn't mean it will happen

 Posted on July 06, 2015 in Firm News

When it comes to legal issues, it can be easy for people to assume that their situation will be resolved in accordance to what they feel should happen. If someone is hurt on the job, for example, a worker probably feels like that their employer should have workers' compensation insurance that should be available to people who get sick or hurt at work. 

Unfortunately, even though something is expected to happen doesn't mean it will. And even when people feel like they know what the rules are doesn't mean that other people will always follow them. This is why legal matters can be so frustrating and why it can be so important to have the help of an attorney.

Let's go back to that scenario we discussed above. It is true that most employers in Illinois should have workers' compensation. They should also post notices in the workplace and avoid taking negative action against an employee who reports an injury and seeks the compensation available to them.

Realistically, however, there are many employers who do not have adequate coverage for workers or inform them of their rights under the law. There are also employers who fire or demote workers who file workers' compensation claims. In these situations, employees will need to seek legal remedies to resolve the issues and protect their rights.

Referring again to the earlier example, a person injured on the job should be able to collect workers' compensation by filling out the proper forms. But this doesn't always happen.

Benefits can be denied if the paperwork is inaccurate or incomplete or if the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission is not convinced that a condition is work-related. There are also people who don't get as much compensation as they feel they should, which can be grounds for an appeal.

What we hope readers take away from this post is that there are plenty of times when legal issues should go one way but then go another. Rather than deal with this situation alone, employees can work with an attorney who can help them protect themselves and pursue the benefits to which they may be entitled.