A Win for Power & Cronin

Congratulations to Ed Miniat, LLC and Jeff Redick for their victorious hearing before IWCC Arbitrator Joseph Amarilio of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. The case involved a Petitioner that alleged to have sustained workplace injuries as a result multiple accidents including a fall and repetitive traumas. The Petitioner claimed over $132,000.00 in accrued benefits at hearing. As a result of inconsistencies in Petitioner’s testimony elicited on cross-examination and impeachment against medical record evidence, the Arbitrator determined that the Petitioner’s conditions were not causally related to the alleged injuries and all claims for benefits were denied. No appeal was filed....

14 February

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Jaskowiak v. Homer Township Fire

Posted by John Fassola

in Significant Wins

Congratulations to the Illinois Public Risk Fund and Gina Terrano Panepinto for their successful defense on Appeal of this matter brought pursuant to Section 19(b)1 before Arbitrator Paul Cellini. Following briefing on Review and expedited Oral Arguments, Panel A of the Workers’ Compensation Commission affirmed the Arbitrator's decision in Jaskowiak v. Homer Township Fire Protection District. The claimant was a fire fighter/paramedic who claimed injury to his foot and back after being disqualified from a 40-hour live fire training course due to heat exhaustion and dehydration. We questioned the credibility of the claimant regarding the timing of the disqualification from...

12 May

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Sea v. City of Pekin

Posted by John Fassola

in Significant Wins

Congratulations to the Illinois Municipal League and John Fassola for their successful defense of a claim before Arbitrator Bradley Gillespie in Sea v. City of Pekin. The claimant was a bus driver who slipped and fell on two occasions. He alleged the development of medial epicondylitis and carpal tunnel syndrome as a result of the falls. We questioned the causation between the fall and the alleged conditions and obtained a supportive IME opinion. At trial, we focused on the delay in seeking treatment for the alleged conditions, and the inconsistency in Petitioner’s complaints. On cross-examination, Petitioner admitted that he had...

20 April

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Brooks v. Kankakee School District #111

Posted by John Fassola

in Significant Wins

Congratulations to IPRF and Jeff Redick for successfully defending a denial of benefits by the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission before the Circuit Court of Kankakee County in the matter of Brooks v. Kankakee School District #111. The case involved a Cafeteria Supervisor that alleged to have sustained injuries to her wrist, elbow, shoulder, ankle, knee and hip from a fall in a snowy parking lot when leaving work. The Respondent successfully argued that the fall did not arise out of and in the course of her employment with the Respondent. The Court agreed that the claimant’s fall in a parking...

20 April

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Hedman v. City of Elmhurst

Posted by John Fassola

in Significant Wins

Congratulations to Dan Artman and the City of Elmhurst for their successful defense of a rebuttable presumption cardiac claim. This case involved a firefighter diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Due to the risk of sudden death should Petitioner be exposed to excessive physical stress, it was recommended by his treating physician that he no longer work as a firefighter. Petitioner claimed that his condition was caused by his work as a firefighter and argued that the rebuttable presumption applied to his claim. The City obtained an opinion from Dr. Richard Carroll that Petitioner’s condition is not causally related to his work for...