Workplace Injuries in Illinois Are on The Downswing

Workers across the United States deserve to be safe while on-the-job. However, it is the unfortunate case that workplace injuries and illnesses will occur in just about any job industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2017 there were around 2.8 million incidents in the private sector where someone was injured or made ill on-the-job. This is almost 45,800 fewer incidents than what took place in 2016.

The state of Illinois also saw a decrease in people in the private sector who were injured or made ill on-the-job. In 2017, the state saw approximately 108,200 incidents of people being injured or made ill on-the-job. This is 3 percent fewer incidents than what took place in 2016.

Across the United States, the health care and social assistance industry saw the greatest number of people injured or made ill on-the-job, making up about one-fifth of the cases reported. In this sector, around 582,800 incidents of workplace injuries or illnesses took place nationwide. Of those, approximately 21,300 took place in Illinois.

When a worker in Illinois is injured or made ill on-the-job, they may simply be concerned with regaining their health. However, medical care can be expensive and oftentimes a person in such a situation must take time off work to recover from their injury or illness. Fortunately, workers injured or made ill on-the-job may be able to seek workers’ compensation benefits to help them cope financially while they are unable to work. It is important that those seeking workers’ compensation benefits understand what they are entitled to and what they need to do to improve their chances of success. Therefore, many find it helpful to seek professional guidance when applying for benefits, or when appealing a denial of benefits if necessary.