Peoria Factory Accident Lawyer

“If you were injured in a factory accident, you deserve clear answers about your rights and the benefits available to you. My job is to help you understand your options and make sure your claim is taken seriously.”

~ Todd A. Strong

Call Strong Law Offices at 309-393-2928 to discuss your factory injury.

You Need Answers After a Factory Accident

After a factory accident in Peoria, you do not need another law firm telling you that a workplace injury can disrupt your life. You already know that. What you need are answers: whether you’re eligible for benefits, what benefits you can receive, how long they may continue, what happens if the insurance company delays or denies your claim, and whether the accident gives you options beyond workers’ compensation.

Illinois workers’ compensation generally covers your medical treatment and a portion of your lost wages while you recover. Additional benefits are available in some cases if the injury leaves you with a lasting impairment or prevents you from returning to the work you did before. You do not have to prove that your employer caused the accident to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits.

Factory injuries can also raise a question that may not exist in every workplace injury case: whether defective machinery, faulty equipment, or a negligent contractor contributed to the accident. If so, you may have a separate claim against a party outside your employer in addition to your workers’ compensation case.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Injured Factory Workers

Workers’ compensation provides different types of benefits depending on the severity of your injury, how long you are unable to work, and whether you are left with permanent restrictions or impairment.

Medical benefits can cover reasonable and necessary treatment related to your factory injury, including doctor visits, hospital care, surgery, medication, physical therapy, and other treatment needed for your recovery.

If your doctor takes you completely off work while you recover, Temporary Total Disability benefits may replace part of your lost wages. If you can return to light-duty work but earn less than you did before the injury, Temporary Partial Disability benefits may help make up part of the difference.

If your injury causes a lasting impairment or loss of use, you may qualify for Permanent Partial Disability benefits. If the injury permanently prevents you from returning to any gainful employment, Permanent Total Disability benefits may be available.

Workers who cannot return to the job they had before the accident may also qualify for vocational rehabilitation and maintenance benefits while they train for suitable work.

If a factory accident results in a worker’s death, eligible surviving dependents may be entitled to death benefits and burial expenses under Illinois workers’ compensation law.

Can You File a Third-Party Claim After a Factory Accident?

Workers’ compensation usually covers your claim against your employer, but a factory accident may involve another company or person whose actions contributed to your injury. When that happens, you may have a separate third-party personal injury claim in addition to your workers’ compensation case.

Third-party claims can arise when:

• A machine or piece of equipment is defective
• An outside contractor creates an unsafe condition
• A maintenance company improperly repairs industrial equipment
• A supplier provides a hazardous product without adequate warnings
• Another company working at the facility causes the accident

A third-party claim can provide compensation that workers’ compensation does not, including damages for pain and suffering and other losses related to the injury.

These claims need to be identified early because the evidence may be different from what is needed for your workers’ compensation case. Equipment may be repaired or replaced, contractors may leave the site, and records can become harder to obtain over time.

Common Causes of Factory Accidents

Factory accidents can happen because of equipment failures, unsafe conditions, contractor mistakes, or hazards built into the work itself. Identifying what caused the accident can help determine what evidence matters in your workers’ compensation claim and whether someone outside your employer may also be responsible.

Common causes include:

• Machinery and equipment failures: Defective parts, worn components, poor maintenance, or sudden equipment failures can cause crush injuries, amputations, lacerations, and other serious harm.
• Missing or inadequate machine guards: Exposed moving parts can pull in clothing, hands, or limbs and cause catastrophic injuries in seconds.
• Conveyor and production-line accidents: Workers can be caught in, struck by, or pinned against moving equipment when production systems malfunction or safety measures fail.
• Forklift and powered industrial truck accidents: Collisions, rollovers, falling loads, and pedestrian strikes can cause severe injuries in busy factory environments.
• Electrical hazards: Faulty wiring, exposed electrical components, and energized equipment can cause burns, shocks, and electrocution.
• Chemical and toxic exposure: Acids, solvents, fumes, dust, and other hazardous substances can cause burns, respiratory injuries, skin conditions, or illnesses that develop over time.
• Fires and explosions: Flammable materials, combustible dust, equipment malfunctions, and electrical problems can lead to serious burn and blast injuries.
• Falls and unsafe walking surfaces: Wet floors, cluttered aisles, elevated work areas, and other hazards can lead to fractures, head injuries, and back injuries.
• Repetitive-motion and overuse injuries: Repeated lifting, gripping, reaching, bending, and assembly-line work can contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome, tendon injuries, back problems, and other cumulative trauma conditions.

Some factory injuries result from a single event. Others develop gradually after months or years of repetitive work or exposure. Both types may qualify for Illinois workers’ compensation benefits.

Types of Factory Accident Injuries

Factory accidents often lead to serious injuries that can change your daily life. You may not be able to return to work right away. In some cases, you may not be able to return to the same job at all. Understanding the type of injury you suffered can help you see what kind of care and support you may need moving forward.

Common injuries include:

• Crush injuries from heavy machinery, which can damage muscles, bones, and internal organs
• Burns caused by heat, chemicals, or electrical contact, often requiring ongoing treatment
• Amputations involving fingers, hands, or limbs, which can permanently affect how you work and live
• Head and brain injuries from falls or impacts, which may affect memory, focus, or mood
• Spinal cord injuries that can limit movement or lead to long-term disability
• Repetitive stress injuries that develop over time and can make even simple tasks painful

Some injuries are obvious right away. Others may take hours or even days to fully appear. That is why it is important to take every injury seriously. Even if you feel “okay” at first, symptoms can worsen. Getting medical care early can protect your health and create a record of your injury if you decide to file a claim.

What to Do After a Factory Accident

What you do after a factory accident can affect both your workers’ compensation claim and any third-party claim that may arise from the same incident. The most important steps are to report the injury, get appropriate medical care, and preserve information about how the accident happened. If you feel overwhelmed, that is normal. Focus on taking one step at a time.

Report the Incident Immediately

Tell your supervisor or employer about the injury as soon as practicable. Under Illinois law, an injured worker generally must give notice within 45 days of the accident. Notice can be oral or written and should identify when and where the accident happened and that you were injured at work. Reporting the injury promptly can help avoid disputes or delays over whether the injury is work-related.

Seek Medical Treatment

Get the medical care you need and tell the provider that your injury happened at work. Illinois workers’ compensation generally requires the employer to pay for reasonable and necessary medical treatment related to a covered work injury. Keep copies of medical records, work restrictions, and any instructions about when or how you may return to work.

Preserve Evidence From the Accident

If you can do so safely, take photos of the area, the machinery or equipment involved, and any visible condition that may have contributed to the accident. Write down the names of coworkers who witnessed what happened and note what task you were performing at the time.

This can be especially important if defective equipment or an outside contractor may have played a role, because machinery can be repaired or replaced and conditions at the facility can change quickly.

Be Careful With What You Say

After the accident, you may be contacted by an insurance company. You may be asked to explain how the accident happened, describe your injuries, or provide information to the workers’ compensation insurer. Be accurate and consistent, and do not guess about details you do not know. If an insurer asks for a recorded statement or you are unsure about a request, you can speak with an attorney before responding.

Know When It May Be Time to Call a Lawyer

You may want legal help if your claim is denied, benefits are delayed or reduced, your employer disputes that the injury happened at work, you are being pressured to return before your doctor releases you, or the accident may involve defective equipment or another company.

A lawyer can also determine whether you are receiving the correct workers’ compensation benefits and whether a separate third-party claim should be investigated.

Call Strong Law Offices at 309-393-2928 to discuss your factory injury.

How Strong Law Offices Investigates a Factory Accident

Factory accident claims can depend on evidence that may not remain available for long. A machine may be repaired, adjusted, or put back into service. Surveillance footage can be overwritten, and contractors or coworkers who witnessed the accident may move on.

Depending on how you were injured, Strong Law Offices may investigate:

Accident and incident reports documenting what happened and how the employer initially described the injury

Maintenance and repair records showing whether machinery had recurring problems or had recently been serviced

Inspection and safety records involving the equipment or area where you were hurt

Machine guards and safety devices to determine whether required protections were present and functioning

Photos, video, and surveillance footage showing the accident scene or the condition of the equipment

Coworker and witness accounts from people who saw the accident or were familiar with problems involving the equipment

Outside contractors and maintenance companies that may have installed, serviced, repaired, or controlled the machinery involved

Medical records and work restrictions documenting your injuries, treatment, and ability to return to work

The investigation is not only about proving that you were injured at work. In a factory case, it can also reveal whether defective equipment, negligent maintenance, or another company contributed to the accident and created a separate third-party claim.

What If You Cannot Return to Your Factory Job?

A serious factory injury may leave you able to work, but unable to return to the same job or perform the same physical duties you handled before the accident. Your options depend on your medical restrictions, whether your employer can accommodate them, and how the injury affects your ability to earn a living.

If you can return to modified or light-duty work but earn less than you did before the injury, you may qualify for benefits that replace part of the difference in your wages. If permanent restrictions prevent you from returning to your former position, vocational rehabilitation may be available to help you prepare for suitable work within those restrictions.

A lasting injury may also affect the permanent disability benefits available through your workers’ compensation claim. Strong Law Offices can review your medical restrictions, employment options, and wage loss to determine which benefits may apply to your situation.

How Long Do You Have to File a Factory Accident Claim in Illinois?

For an Illinois workers’ compensation claim, you generally must notify your employer of the injury within 45 days of the accident. You generally have three years from the date of the injury to file an Application for Adjustment of Claim with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, although exceptions can affect that deadline.

If you also have a third-party personal injury claim, a different statute of limitations applies. In many Illinois personal injury cases, the deadline is two years from the date of the injury, but shorter or different deadlines can apply depending on who is involved.

Missing an applicable deadline can prevent you from recovering benefits or compensation, so it is important to determine which deadlines apply to your case.

Talk to a Peoria Factory Accident Lawyer About Your Claim

If you were injured in a Peoria factory or manufacturing facility, Strong Law Offices can help you determine which workers’ compensation benefits may apply, whether a third-party claim should be investigated, and what to do if the insurance company is delaying, reducing, or denying your benefits.

Call Strong Law Offices at 309-393-2928 to discuss your factory injury and the legal options available under Illinois law.

Frequently Asked Questions About Factory Accidents

Factory accident claims often raise important questions. The answers below provide guidance as you consider your next steps.

Can I sue my employer after a factory accident?

Usually, Illinois workers’ compensation is the primary remedy for an injury caused by your employment, which generally limits your ability to sue your employer directly for damages. However, you may have a separate personal injury claim if someone outside your employer, such as an equipment manufacturer, contractor, or maintenance company, contributed to your accident.

What if I was partly responsible for my factory accident?

You generally do not have to prove that your employer caused your accident to receive Illinois workers’ compensation benefits. Your own mistake does not automatically prevent you from receiving benefits for a covered work injury.

If you also have a third-party personal injury claim, different rules apply. Illinois uses modified comparative fault in negligence and certain product liability cases. You can still recover damages if you are not more than 50 percent at fault, although your compensation may be reduced according to your share of responsibility.

What if my employer says my injury did not happen at work?

A dispute does not necessarily end your claim. Medical records, incident reports, witness statements, work schedules, surveillance footage, and other evidence may help establish where and how the injury occurred. If the employer or insurer disputes that your injury is work-related, an attorney can help gather the evidence needed to challenge that position.

What if my workers’ compensation benefits are delayed or reduced?

You do not have to simply accept an unexplained delay or reduction in benefits. The reason may involve a dispute over your medical treatment, ability to work, average weekly wage, or whether the injury is covered. Strong Law Offices can review the insurer’s position and determine what steps may be available to challenge it.

What if my employer does not have workers’ compensation insurance?

Most Illinois employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance or obtain authorization to self-insure. If your employer does not have required coverage, additional remedies may be available. An attorney can investigate the employer’s coverage and explain the options that apply to your situation.

How long do I have to file a factory accident claim?

Illinois workers generally must notify their employer of a work accident within 45 days and generally have three years from the date of injury to file a workers’ compensation claim, although exceptions can affect these deadlines. A separate third-party personal injury claim may have a different deadline, commonly two years in Illinois. The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission provides guidance on workers’ compensation procedures and deadlines.