A recent item in the news tells that a committee has been appointed to study reforms to the Illinois Workers Compensation Act. This so-called “Business Community” has suggested certain “reforms.”
The first thing that you need to know is that “Business Community” in this context simply means “Insurance Industry Lobbyists.” They would simply like to pay less money to injured workers.
The second thing you need to know is that the system works just fine in serving its intended purpose: protecting and fairly compensating injured workers. Decisions are made by professional arbitrators, based on established guidelines and medical evidence.
The same people who keep telling us we need “tort reform” due to irresponsible juries (also not true, but that’s a topic for another day) are now telling us that we need protection in workers comp cases, where there are no juries. See the common thread? Insurance companies wanting to pay less to injury victims.
One of the basic rights in the Illinois Workers Compensation system is that an injured worker may see his own doctor, and be guided by the doctor’s advice. This should be a basic right of anybody in any situation, shouldn’t it? But now, the “Business Community” is suggesting that we change the rules and require injured workers to see only the company doctor. They want the public to believe that this is being done in the name of impartiality and cost cutting. Aren’t these the same people that that claim they want to “get government off our backs?” Now, they want a state law regulating a victim’s right to choose his own doctor.
The people of Illinois need to realize that the proposed workers comp “reform” isn’t about fixing something that’s broken. It’s only about restricting an individual’s rights so that a special interest group can turn higher profits.
For more information about this subject or the author, Chicago injury attorney Steven A. Sigmond, call (312) 258-8188 or return to our website at www.siglaw.com.
