The Levenhagen Law Firm

02/19/2018

Across the country injured workers are forced into poverty while insurance companies profit.

A special series published by national public radio in 2015 provides a detailed account showing how injured workers across the country suffer as “reforms” limit Worker’s Compensation benefits to men and women who are hurt at work. This in-depth investigation and study shows the impact the reduction of Worker’s Compensation benefits has on hard-working men and women. It breaks my heart to read some of these stories. These are real life stories about hard working Americans. It is disgusting to see how greedy insurance companies across the country are profiting by pushing injured workers into poverty. I urge everyone to oppose further reductions in workers compensation benefits. Every day, I see first hand how hardworking men and women lose their health, their homes, their marriages, their retirement benefits, their savings and their possessions after being injured at work. I will contnue to fight for every dime my clients are entitled to. I will continue my efforts to preserve and protect the rights of injured workers. I will continue my steadfast support by speaking out against these changes and bu supporting elected officials who oppose these inhumane reductions in benefits. Below is a link to the article which I encourage everyone to read:

https://www.npr.org/2015/03/04/390441655/injured-workers-suffer-as-reforms-limit-workers-compensation-benefits

02/19/2018

In Governor Rauner’s budget address delivered on February 14, 2018 he again proposed reducing Illinois workers compensation insurance rates. Unfortunately Governor Rauner’s efforts have focused on further reduction in injured workers benefits. These unfair reductions have forced some injured workers into poverty while greedy insurance companies rake in enormous profits.

Below is a timely and insightful response to Governor Rauner’s call for Worker’s Compensation “Deform.”

John Scanlon the president of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association issued the following statement on February 14, 2018:

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Any “reforms” to the Illinois workers’ compensation system must instead focus on insurers’ unfair profiteering

Statement from Illinois Trial Lawyers Association President John P. Scanlon
February 14, 2018

Under the guise of “reform,” Gov. Bruce Rauner is seeking changes to our workers’ compensation laws that will shift the responsibility of caring for injured workers away from insurers and onto those hurt on the job and the taxpayers. The governor and his insurance industry allies want to cut the number of injured workers eligible to receive benefits. Many employees, especially older workers, will face the prospect of losing the right to compensation because Rauner would let insurers avoid responsibility for serious work-related injuries by blaming a worker’s physical decline even when that physical decline is a result of a harsh work place.

The benefit cuts long sought by Rauner would create a disincentive for employers to ensure safe worksites and working conditions, as a cost-benefit analysis might show that it is less expensive to pay for injuries than to spend the funds needed to prevent accidents from happening in the first place.

Since lawmakers rewrote the state’s workers’ compensation laws in 2011, Illinois has led the nation in cost reduction for workers’ compensation in all of the relevant categories of cost measurement trends. According to the latest report from the non-profit, non-partisan National Academy of Social Insurance, total benefits paid in Illinois dropped 19.3 percent between 2011 and 2015, while the rest of the U.S. saw 2 percent cost increases during this same period.

What didn’t happen, and where the real problem lies, is that insurers did not pass those cost savings on to Illinois businesses. Instead, they kept the money as more profit for themselves.

There are 332 insurance companies that write workers’ compensation policies in Illinois, which is more than in any other state. Illinois is desirable for these companies because there is little oversight and favorable laws that put their interests ahead of severely injured workers and their employers.

If there are to be any further changes to the state’s workers’ compensation laws, they must focus on insurance companies and the unjust premiums they charge business owners. Further reducing benefits for injured workers, lowering medical reimbursements and denying claims will only pad the insurance industry’s profits while unfairly shifting the cost of caring for those hurt on the job onto the backs of the injured workers themselves and to taxpayers through Medicaid and other publicly funded programs – something Illinois taxpayers cannot afford.

02/16/2018

The President of The Illinois Trial Lawyers Association recently wrote a letter to the Chicago Sun-Times pointing out the unfair and unjust proposals made by Governor Rauner to further reduce benefits to Injured Workers in Illinois. The link to the February 5, 2018 letter is shown below. As the following letter indicates, sweeping changes to the Illinois Worker’s Compensation Act took place in 2011 reducing benefits injured workers. However, greedy workers compensation insurance companies have profited from those changes and have not passed the savings onto employers. Worker’s Compensation insurance carriers are still charging outrageous and exorbitant premiums to employers. As the letter points out, in 2015 alone Illinois workers compensation insurance carriers had a profit margin of 17.2%, generating nearly half a billion dollars!! Injured worker‘s throughout the state are suffering because of the reduction of their benefits in 2011. Before any changes are made to the Worker’s Compensation Act, Illinois Worker’s Compensation insurance carriers need to reduce their premiums so that the savings can be passed on to employers.

Here is that link from the Sun-Times:

The truth is, Illinois is good for business.

12/18/2015

08/05/2014

View from outside the office at 216 West Pointe Drive, Suite B, Swansea, Illinois 62226

06/28/2013

Governor Quinn signs the Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act – promising thousands of jobs throughout Southern Illinois along with strict environmental protections

06/27/2013

On May 31, 2013, Illinois lawmakers approved some of the nation’s toughest fracking regulations. The recent legislation governs energy companies as they perform hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.”

06/21/2013

FRACKING COMES TO ILLINOIS – JOBS ARE ON THEIR WAY!

Illinois law makers recently passed legislation that they hoped would bring thousands of jobs to Southern Illinois.

On May 31, 2013, Illinois lawmakers approved some of the nation’s toughest fracking regulations. The recent legislation governs energy companies as they perform hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.”

Fracking uses a high-pressure mix of water, sand, and/or gravel to crack rock formations deep underground and release oil and natural gas. Energy companies are looking at the New Albany shale formation in Southern Illinois where they believe there are significant oil reserves 5,000 feet or more below the surface. Even though actual drilling isn’t likely to start for at least a few months, the first step for potential drillers is a registration and permit application process that could take a few months.

State records indicate that high volume oil drilling has already begun in Illinois, even in the absence of regulations. Campbell Energy Group submitted a report to the Department of Natural Resources voluntarily disclosing that it used 640,000 gallons of water during hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”, of a well in White County.

The new regulations require that using 300,000 gallons or more constitutes high volume fracking.

In Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, fracking has brought an economic boom in a time when most of the nation is suffering through one of the worst recessions in history.

The current fracking regulations were crafted with the help of industry and some environmental groups which is an unusual collaboration. The legislation sponsor, Mike Frerichs, a democrat said stakeholders “sat down for hundreds and thousands of hours” to hammer out the issue. “These are tough regulations that are going to protect and preserve our most valuable resources in our state.” He told floor members, “We are going to increase home produced energy in our state in one of the most environmentally friendly ways possible.”

While there remain many environmental concerns, the Illinois legislature has taken steps to help improve the economic climate by bringing jobs to Southern Illinois.

06/21/2013

FRACKING IS COMING TO SOUTHERN ILLINOIS!!

07/11/2012

Fritz recently attended Tough Mudder as a spectator in Attica, Indiana with his son, brother in law and nephews over Father's Day weekend. The proceeds from the money each team raised for the event was donated to The Wounded Warrior Project. Fritz and his family stayed in Danville, Illinois the night before and ate at the Big Boy Restaurant.
For more information about The Tough Mudder check out http://toughmudder.com/

07/03/2012

Fritz Levenhagen was appointed to serve as a member of the 2012/2013 ISBA workers' compensation law section council.