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The Basics of Workers' Compensation Claims in Chicago and Cook CountyWritten by: Michael J. Helfand Reputation Level 16
Posted over 2 years ago. Applies to Illinois, 1 helpful vote, 0 comments
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Where should my case be filed?The Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission has offices across the state. All workers' compensation claims in Illinois are filed at the Commission office in Chicago. After that, each case is assigned to an arbitrator at a location closest to where the injury occurred. So if you were injured in Chicago, or anywhere in Cook County such as Maywood or Matteson, your claim will be managed at the Chicago office. For employees injured out of state, claims are filed in Chicago and assigned to an arbitrator near the employer or injured worker. So if you were injured in Indiana but you live and work in Palatine, your claim would be heard in Chicago. 2
Where is the Chicago location?The local office of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission -- the location that serves all of Chicago and Cook County -- is at the Thompson Center downtown. The address is 100 W. Randolph Street. If your case is assigned to an arbitrator at the Thompson Center, you will go there for status calls, which are routine appearances before the arbitrator. These are scheduled automatically and are every two months. In addition, the Thompson Center is where all cases are first filed. You can file a claim in person or by mail. 3
Do I need a Chicago attorney?The Thompson Center is the only Cook County location for workers' compensation claims. For this reason, most workers' compensation attorneys have offices nearby. When looking for a lawyer to represent you after an injury, downtown Chicago is a good place to start. These attorneys are more likely to focus their practice on work injuries, which can give you a better chance at success. Even if you live in suburban Cook County, you may want to hire a Chicago attorney. If you are concerned about getting downtown for meetings with your lawyer, ask about their flexibility. Many workers' comp attorneys will come to you, or hold meetings and answer questions over the phone or email. Additional ResourcesNeed a workers' compensation attorney but don't know where to start? Give us a call. We'll listen to your situation, answer your intial questions, and give you the name of an experienced Chicago attorney who we think will best represent you. Related Questions2 Attorney answers: 
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