Work Injury Guides
Plain answers to the questions Chicago workers ask after getting hurt on the job. Each guide is checked against Illinois law and shows when it was last reviewed.
Right after an injury
What to do after a work injury in Chicago
Six steps, in order, plus how to report it to your employer.
Read the guide →Doctor or lawyer first?
Why seeing a doctor first protects your health and gives you records from day one.
Read the guide →Choosing a doctor
Can I choose my own doctor for workers’ comp?
How the Illinois two-doctor rule works.
Read the guide →Second opinion after the company clinic
When to get one, and whether it affects your claim.
Read the guide →Work injury doctor vs your family doctor
How they compare on paperwork, restrictions, specialists and billing.
Read the guide →Bills and benefits
Treatment
Orthopedic surgery for work injuries
When surgery is considered, and what happens before and after.
Read the guide →Physical therapy and rehab
Physical, occupational and hand therapy after an injury or surgery.
Read the guide →Pain management
Help when pain is not settling with rest and therapy.
Read the guide →Hurt at work? See a doctor first. Illinois Orthopedic Network usually sees injured workers the same day or the next.