On behalf of Hannigan & Botha, Ltd. posted in Industrial Workers' Accidents on Thursday, May 17, 2012
Illinois is often associated with the American steel industry. Unfortunately, the steel production process opens up workers to the possibility of sustaining a work-related injury or illness. While many of the injuries coming from steel plants can be relatively minor, the threat of a catastrophic accident is always lingering. This is especially evident in a recent industrial accident at a Benjamin Steel plant in which a man lost both of his legs.
The accident happened earlier this month, during the middle of the workday. The victim, who had been employed at the steel plant for nearly 19 years, was working when two stock bundles of wall tubing came crashing down. Unfortunately, the worker was in the way of the steel tubes. Nearly five tons of steel fell on his legs and crushed them.
On behalf of Hannigan & Botha, Ltd. posted in Workers' Compensation on Thursday, May 10, 2012
For those dealing with a work injury, workers' compensation rules can many times be overwhelming. Typically, injured workers are focused on their recovery and don't spend a lot of time thinking about filing the appropriate claims with their employer right way. While this is understandable, many Illinois residents are being denied workers' compensation claims as a result of waiting too long to file their injury reports.
This is especially true for workers who have chronic repetitive stress injuries, such as carpal tunnel. Employees at an Illinois correctional facility learned this the hard way. Several employees filed claims for repetitive stress injuries, but their claims were denied because they did not file their claims soon enough.
On behalf of Hannigan & Botha, Ltd. posted in Workplace Accidents on Thursday, May 3, 2012
For Workers' Memorial Day, Illinois residents were out in full force to honor workers who have died while on the job. For those who came, nearly everybody was personally aware of the impact of losing a loved in a work accident. On a recent evening, one Illinois community gathered to lay roses at the Workers Memorial Monument in memory of a lost loved one.
For those who spoke at the ceremony, it was a very emotional experience. As people remembered those who had fallen while trying to earn a living and provide for their family, words did not necessarily come easily.
On behalf of Hannigan & Botha, Ltd. posted in Industrial Workers' Accidents on Thursday, April 26, 2012
An Illinois company is under fire after a work accident caused two employees to sustain severe injuries. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has since levied a $231,000 fine against the company, citing that the company willfully allowed or voluntarily disregarded unsafe work practices to occur. According to OSHA, these unsafe work practices directly contributed to the cause of the workers' injuries in question.
The accident happened during the fall of last year. Two workers had been performing equipment maintenance at a pasta manufacturing plant located in southern Illinois. While they were repairing a hole in a metal trough with welding equipment, a stray spark from the welder caused an explosion. The spark came in contact with dust that had gathered inside the plant and triggered an explosion inside a dust collector. This in turn caused the two men to be severely burned.
On behalf of Hannigan & Botha, Ltd. posted in Workers' Compensation on Thursday, April 19, 2012
At least two pieces of proposed legislation have recently been introduced in the Illinois legislature that would affect workers' compensation if they are passed. These proposals come on the heels of last year's reforms which created physician networks for workers' compensation.
One of the new bills was presented to the state House of Representatives late last month. The proposal would deduct prior, partial disability amounts from benefits to be paid to injured workers. This change would apply for subsequent injuries to a person if the injuries occur in the same part of the body as the first injury. This change, if passed, would alter calculations of benefits for those who have previous injuries.
On behalf of Hannigan & Botha, Ltd. posted in Workplace Accidents on Thursday, April 12, 2012
One Illinois family is mourning the death of a 56-year-old man who was killed in a horrifying work accident. The man was crushed by a forklift while attempting to service it. Though the investigation is still ongoing and it is not known exactly what happened, this is a chilling reminder that a work accident can happen even under what appear to be the most normal circumstances.
The accident, which happened in Sycamore at a Menards storage lot, ideally shouldn't have occurred. The worker had serviced similar machines at many different stores and was experienced in dealing with forklifts. At the time of the accident, he had been servicing a forklift by performing mechanical work. While he was working on it, he was trapped in the piece of machinery and was crushed to death.
On behalf of Hannigan & Botha, Ltd. posted in Workers' Compensation on Monday, April 2, 2012
All too often, Illinois construction workers are caught in dangerous situations and workplace accidents. Many factors contribute to these accidents, but this fact does not diminish the loss that the loved ones of the victim may feel when they realize that they will never see the victim again, even though they may be covered financially with workers' compensation death benefits. This unfortunate reality is demonstrated by a recent fatal accident that claimed the life of one construction worker and injured two others.
The accident occurred one morning late last month when a one-story building caved in while it was still under construction. Three construction workers inside the building at the time of the accident were trapped by debris. One of the workers was dead upon arrival at a nearby hospital. Another was in reportedly stable condition, while the third worker's condition was not immediately known. The exact cause of this accident is currently unknown and under investigation.
On behalf of Hannigan & Botha, Ltd. posted in Workplace Accidents on Thursday, March 29, 2012
A common nightmare for some Illinois residents working in a manufacturing environment is being involved in a devastating work accident. The machines used during manufacturing, especially those that involve complex processes, often include pulverizers and shredders that can seriously injure or even kill a worker if an accident occurs. For one worker, this nightmare came true earlier this month when he was seriously injured in an industrial accident.
A man working at the manufacturing company AdFilm was trapped inside a machine at one of the firm's plants. At 2:30 p.m., fellow workers called emergency medical services and local fire department to report the incident. Though the man was able to be freed from the machine by the time rescue workers arrived, he was still transported by helicopter to a local medical center for leg injuries. His medical condition at the time he was admitted to the hospital was not reported.
On behalf of Hannigan & Botha, Ltd. posted in Construction Workers' Accidents on Thursday, March 22, 2012
Unfortunately, construction accidents are all too common even with a variety of mandated safety measures. Even in Illinois, where there are rules in place to keep the workers as safe as possible, sometimes that is not enough. All it takes is one small mishap to permanently change the lives of those affected. This is particularly evident in a tragic construction accident that recently occurred.
Earlier this month, a 53-year-old man was working at a hotel construction site. In the accident, a crane's hook block accidently touched the scissor lift on which he had been working. The lift toppled over and the worker fell at least 15 feet onto a concrete deck. He was rushed to a hospital, where he died the following day. The local medical examiner determined that a blunt force trauma to the head caused his death.
On behalf of Hannigan & Botha, Ltd. posted in Industrial Workers' Accidents on Thursday, March 15, 2012
An industrial accident is never desired in any form. However, some accidents are more grisly than others. This is especially apparent in a horrifying industrial accident where one man was fatally electrocuted and another seriously injured after falling from a ladder into electrical lines. This sobering accident may serve as a warning to Illinois residents that they can never be too careful when on the job.
The accident occurred earlier this month, during the middle of the workday. A witness claims that the men were struggling to erect a ladder, presumably to climb to the top of a two-story building. As the workers were climbing up the ladder, the ladder slipped backward, causing the men to fall into the electrical wires.
