2025 Articles

AI in Illinois Workers’ Compensation Practice: Promises, Pitfalls, and Practical Uses By Alexis Ferracuti December 2025 AI is a powerful tool that can be helpful for high-volume, medically complex cases, but be weary of the ethical and professional implications of using AI in your practice. This includes issues with AI, such as hallucinated case law, misrepresented facts, confidentiality concerns, and more.

The Appellate Court Confirms That Disfigurement of the Foot Is Compensable Under Section 8(c) of Act By Joseph Belmonte, C.R.C. March 2025 On January 28, 2025, the appellate court issued a ruling pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 23 that an employee who sustained disfigurement to his foot in the course of employment is entitled to benefits under Section 8(c) of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act even though the “foot” is not specifically delineated under Section 8(c). Panda Express, Inc., v. Illinois Workers Compensation Commission, 2025 IL App (4th) 240771 WC-U. The court concluded that although the foot is not specifically listed in the language of Section 8(c), the commonly understood meaning of the term leg also includes the foot, and thus, disfigurement injuries to the foot shall be compensable under 8(c).

Arbitrator Spotlight: Dennis S. O’Brien By Alexis Ferracuti August 2025 Each month, the Workers’ Compensation Law Section Newsletter will feature an Arbitrator or Commissioner spotlight to help the practicing bar get to know the Commission on a personal and professional basis.

Arbitrator Spotlight: Paul Cellini By Alexis Ferracuti July 2025 Each month beginning with our July issue, we will feature an Arbitrator or Commissioner spotlight to help the practicing bar get to know the Commission on a personal and professional basis. This month features Paul Cellini, an arbitrator at the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission.

1 comment (Most recent July 30, 2025)

Become an Illinois Bar Foundation Champion By Jessica R. Durkin December 2025 At least twice a year at ISBA Annual and Midyear Meetings, we are pitched by colleagues and the Illinois Bar Foundation to become a “Champion.” But what is a Champion really, and what’s in it for us?

Beyond the Factory Floor: How Occupational Disease Coverage Shaped Illinois Workers’ Compensation Law By Alexis Ferracuti August 2025 A historical overview of the Occupational Diseases Act of 1936.

Case Summary: Borst By Lindsey Beukema March 2025 In Borst v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, 2024 Il App (2d) 230124WC-U, a maintenance technician failed to prove his repetitive trauma claim, and the court addressed a common evidentiary objection.

Case Summary: Card Dynamix, LLC v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission By Olga Beznashchuk October 2025 Third District Court rules that section 12 examination can be used by the employer not only to determine the nature and extent of disability but also to determine medical treatment and services to be included under open medical awarded.

Case Summary: LaBud v. L.A. Truck Leasing, Inc. By Stephen Smalling July 2025 In LaBud V. L.A. Truck Leasing, Inc., 24IWCC0294 (2024) the Commission addressed the credit due Respondent against future PTD benefits following the settlement of a third-party claim wherein its section 5(b) lien had not been satisfied in its entirety. The Commission’s decision, confirmed by the Circuit Court, provides an excellent roadmap to both Respondent and Petitioner’s Counsel when resolving a third-party claim with ongoing workers’ compensation benefits due and owing.

Commissioner Spotlight: Carolyn Doherty By Alexis Ferracuti October 2025 Each month, the Workers’ Compensation Law Section Newsletter will feature an Arbitrator or Commissioner spotlight to help the practicing bar get to know the Commission on a personal and professional basis.

Comp in the Classroom By Brandy Johnson August 2025 A law professor details her experience with developing an innovative Workers' Compensation course to provide students with real-world practice experience.

Editor’s Note By Alexis Ferracuti December 2025 A note from the Editor of the Workers' Compensation Section Newsletter discussing the close of the year.

Editor’s Note By Alexis Ferracuti October 2025 A note from the Editor of the Workers' Compensation Law Section Newsletter.

Editor’s Note By Alexis Ferracuti August 2025 A note from the Editor of the Workers' Compensation Law Newsletter.

Editor’s Note By Alexis Ferracuti July 2025 A Note from the Newsletter Editor of the Workers' Compensation Section Council about the July 2025 issue.

Editor’s Note By Alexis Ferracuti May 2025 An introduction to the issue from the editor.

Editor’s Note By Alexis P. Ferracuti March 2025 A note from the editor introducing the issue as well as an update on recent section activity from the chair.

The Gig Economy and Nonstandard Work Arrangements By Joseph Belmonte, C.R.C. March 2025 The American workforce is subject to constant change as a result of technological development, changing demographics, and global economic conditions. This will present challenges in identifying health and safety risks to workers associated with nonstandard work arrangements and improving safety and health.

The History of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission: A Century of Evolving Protections By Alexis Ferracuti July 2025 The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC) stands as the administrative body that resolves disputes between injured workers and employers regarding job-related injuries and occupational diseases. Its origins reflect a broader national movement toward recognizing and protecting workers' rights in the industrial age. The development of the Commission over the past century illustrates the shifting economic, political, and legal landscapes that have shaped labor relations in Illinois.

In Memoriam By Deborah Benzing October 2025 A few words from the Chair of the Workers' Compensation Law Section Council in memory of Peter Akemann, a dedicated Arbitrator with the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.

ISBA 2025 Solo and Small Firm Conference Photos October 2025 The Illinois State Bar Association hosted the 2025 Solo and Small Firm Conference: The Innovative Lawyer: Smart Strategies for Small Firms in the Age of AI on September 25–26 at the Embassy Suites in Naperville, IL.

Join Us at the ISBA & IJA Midyear Meeting—a Taste of What’s Ahead By Ted M. Niemann December 2025 The Joint Midyear Meeting, hosted by the Illinois State Bar Association and the Illinois Judges Association, is a can't-miss event, offering CLE programs on democracy preservation and the ethical use of AI; a Member Appreciation Reception featuring Glow Bingo and prizes; the Illinois Bar Foundation for the Champions Breakfast; the IJA/ISBA Joint Midyear Meeting Luncheon; and a Holiday Reception honoring the Supreme Court of Illinois. Register today!

LAWPAC Needs You! March 2025 The Illinois Lawyers’ Political Action Committee (LAWPAC) needs your help to fulfill its mission to support the legislative goals of the ISBA and Illinois’ legal community.

Pain Is Enough… Aggravation of Pre-Existing Conditions: Tazewell County v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, 2025 IL App (4th) 230754WC By Gregory H. Booth May 2025 On January 31, 2025, the Appellate Court, 4th District, published an opinion in the case of Tazewell County v. Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission, 2025 IL App (4th) 230754WC. This case establishes the precedent in Illinois that pain alone, arising from repetitive work activities, can be a sufficient basis for a compensable workers’ compensation claim, even in the absence of structural changes to a pre-existing condition.

Practicing Before the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission: Structure, Culture, and Realities of the Practice By Alexis Ferracuti December 2025 An overview of presenting a case before the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission, from the structure and professional culture of the IWCC, to the procedures and trends that govern cases.

Recovery When an Employer Has No Insurance: IWBF Cases By Derek G. Dominguez July 2025 One of the first things a Petitioner’s attorney must do when they sign up a new client is figure out who is the employer’s insurance carrier. It can be disheartening to learn that an employer had no insurance on the date of injury due to a lapse in coverage, or even a willful decision not to carry insurance. Fortunately, the Injured Workers Benefit Fund (“IWBF”) was established for employees to recover workers’ compensation benefits such as PPD, TTD, and payment of medical expenses in cases where an employer is deemed to have had no insurance on the date of injury. The following will help you get to the finish line and recover for your client in these cases.

Remembering Justice Thomas E. Hoffman October 2025 Justice Hoffmann will be remembered as a distinguished jurist, loving husband and father, avid collector of historical memorabilia, and a classic car enthusiast.

Strict Deadlines Limit Judicial Review: Circuit Court Lacked Jurisdiction in Singleton Due to Late Filing By Jigar Desai October 2025 A summary of the lessons learned from Singleton v. IWCC regarding workers' compensation appeals for want of jurisdiction, highlighting the importance of abiding by statutory deadlines for circuit court review of a Commission decision.

The Supreme Court Clears the Underbrush for Mental Health Injuries By Kurt Niermann August 2025 A summary of McDonald v. Symphony Bronzeville and its impacts on the field of workers' compensation law.

A Victory for Injured Workers Who Suffered Catastrophic Amputations By Audrey E. Gardner May 2025 A recent decision by the Illinois Fifth District Appellate Court in The American Coal Co. v. Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission has significant implications for workers who have suffered catastrophic injuries, particularly multiple limb amputations, under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act.