Illinois Police Officer Awarded $45,963 in Workers’ Comp Benefits

The work of police officers in our state is crucial to the safety of our community. However, it is undeniable that being a police officer can be a dangerous profession. So, when a police officer is injured in the course of his or her job duties, he or she will want to pursue workers’ compensation benefits, just like any other injured worker would. A denied workers’ compensation claim could necessitate an appeal before the worker is awarded the benefits he or she deserves.

An officer who works for the Arlington Heights police department has recently settled a workers’ compensation claim with her employer, in the amount of $45,963. The original claim was filed in 2018 for an injury that the officer claims to have suffered in December 2014. The officer reportedly suffered an injury to her shoulder while engaging in defensive tactics training.

The officer had previously filed a separate claim following an injury to her hand and thumb in February 2017. That claim had been settled for less than $25,000, so Village Board approval was not necessary. The officer has been working for the Arlington Heights police department since 1996.

As this shows, with perseverance it is possible to obtain workers’ compensation benefits for injuries sustained on the job. Of course, no two workers’ comp claims are alike, and much depends on the facts of the worker’s specific case. Moreover, all the appropriate forms must be filed by the appropriate deadlines, and all other procedures must be properly followed. If a person believes they have a viable claim for workers’ compensation benefits, but their application is denied, they will want to determine if they have grounds to appeal the decision.