Austin Friedrich To Serve As Vice President Of The Wcla For 2025
For 2025, Austin Friedrich will serve as the Vice President of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Lawyers’ Association. Austin was sworn in at the organization’s Installation Dinner on January 11, 2025. He will serve with other officers, Tyler Berberich (President), Lindsay Strom (Treasurer) and Nicole Schnoor (Secretary). The WCLA promotes fellowship amongst members of the bar […]
Read MoreWelcome Zach And Mary
We are pleased to announce the addition of two new associate attorneys to Ganan & Shapiro, P.C., Zachary (Zach) Deery and Mary Scarpinato. You can learn more about both of them at are website – www.gananlaw.com Zach joined the firm as a paralegal in 2023. After passing the Illinois Bar in 2024, Zach became a […]
Read MoreJanuary 2025 Rates Are Now Available
The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission publishes the updated benefit rates two times a year. The new rates reflect the statutory increases to the maximum TTD and PPD rates, as well as updates the minimum benefit rates for TTD, PPD, death benefits, amputations and PTD benefits. For any questions about the changes in benefit rates, please […]
Read MoreIllinois Appellate Court Rules The Employee Was A Traveling Employee
In the case of Mechanical, Inc, v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, the Illinois Appellate Court again took on the question of what constitutes a traveling employee. The case’s procedural history was extensive procedural history. The case was tried before Arbitrator Michael Glaub, who found the employee was a traveling employee. Mechanical appealed to the Commission, […]
Read MoreCONGRATULATIONS JIM BYRNES!
Ganan & Shapiro is excited to announce Governor Pritzker appointment Jim Bynes to the position of Arbitrator at the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, effective August 29, 2023. Jim joined Ganan & Shapiro in 2001, and has been a vital member of our family ever since. He represented clients throughout the State of Illinois, sharing his […]
Read MoreWho says Continuing Legal Education has to be boring?
We help our attorneys meet their bi-annual CLE requirements by providing in-house educational opportunities. On July 20th, our attorney attended a program entitled “Stress and Mental Health for Attorneys” organized and presented by Elaine Newquist. After a discussion about what causes all of us to be stressed and ways to alleviate stress, our attorneys engaged […]
Read MoreAppellate Court Rules on Question of Section 8(j) Credit
The City of Joliet v. The Illinois Workers’ Comp. Comm’n., 2023 IL App (3d) 220175WC FactsClaimant filed two claims against respondent related to two at-work injuries she suffered while in respondent’s employ. The first occurred on September 29, 2014, when claimant was involved in a motor-vehicle accident. The second took place on January 31, 2017, […]
Read MoreAppellate Court Reviews the “Parking Lot Exception”
Western Springs Police Dept. v. Illinois Workers’ Comp. Comm’n., 2023 IL App (1st) 211574WC FactsClaimant was employed by the Village of Western Springs Police Department (the Village) as a crossing guard and as a receptionist doing general office work. On February 6, 2014, claimant’s crossing guard duties required her to be at the corner of […]
Read MoreWatch for Group Carriers Seeking Excessive Reimbursements!
Occasionally, an injured worker’s medical treatment will be covered by his/her group health insurance, rather than through the employers’ workers’ compensation insurance. This may happen if the initial medical provider (e.g., emergency room, walk-in clinic) did not have the workers’ compensation insurance information at the time of treatment and uses the information on the employee’s […]
Read MoreIn Memoriam – Clifford I. Ganan
It is with deep regret we announce the passing of Clifford I. Ganan on February 6, 2022. He was a beloved colleague, mentor and friend. Cliff was a graduate of the University of Illinois where he first met and enchanted his wife of many years, Barbara (Bunny). They have been blessed with two children, Jordan […]
Read MoreCase Law Update – Winter 2022
Appellate Court Finds No Illinois Jurisdiction Industrial Contractors Skanska v. Illinois Workers’ Comp. Comm’n, 2021 IL App (4th) 210003WC-U Facts Claimant, a resident of Illinois, is an electrician and member of IBEW Local 538, based in Danville, Illinois. She was hired as an apprentice electrician by Respondent in July 2014. It is undisputed she subsequently […]
Read MoreCase Law Update – Spring 2021
Court Rejects Vocational Opinion Offered by Medical Expert Monterey Mushrooms, Inc. v. Ill. Workers’ Comp. Comm’n, 2021 IL App (3d) 190754WC-U Facts Claimant, Sylvia Mendez, filed an application for adjustment of claim pursuant to the Workers’ Compensation Act, seeking benefits for injuries she allegedly sustained on October 11, 2009, while in the employ of respondent, […]
Read MoreCOVID-19 Vaccinations & Liability Issues
Since the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments and pharmaceutical companies around the world have been focused on developing a vaccination to fight the virus. In March, the federal government established Operation Warp Speed through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). According to the HHS website, the goal was “to produce and deliver 300 […]
Read MoreCancellation of In-Person Hearings at IWCC – November 2020
The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission announced today that as of close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Friday, November 13, all in-person hearings of any kind will be DISCONTINUED through the end of the month of November. This pertains to ALL hearing sites throughout the state. In addition to the suspension of all in-person hearings, no […]
Read MoreRecent Updates at IWCC
Withdrawal of Emergency Amendment to IWCC Rules As we previously reported, the Commission issued an Emergency Amendment to Part 9030.70 of the Rules of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission on April 16, 2020 (following an initial attempt on April 13). The stated purpose of this Emergency Amendment was ostensibly to protect “essential employees” who could […]
Read MoreCommission Issues COVID-19 Emergency Amendment
On April 13, 2020, the Commission issued an Emergency Amendment to Part 9030 of the Rules of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. The stated purpose of this Emergency Amendment is ostensibly to protect “essential employees” who could be exposed to the COVID-19 virus at work, by providing a rebuttable presumption that those workers who are […]
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