101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB2584

 

Introduced , by Rep. Thomas M. Bennett

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
820 ILCS 305/8.1b

    Amends the Workers' Compensation Act in relation to permanent partial disability. Provides that if an impairment report exists, it must be considered by the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission in its determination of the level of permanent partial disability. Provides that in determining the level of permanent partial disability, the Commission shall base its determination on the level of impairment reported and shall consider specified factors. Provides that the relevance and weight of factors used in addition to the level of impairment as reported by a physician must be explained in a written order. Provides that an impairment report is not required for the arbitrator or Commission to approve a Settlement Contract Lump Sum Petition.


LRB101 08369 JLS 53438 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB2584LRB101 08369 JLS 53438 b

1    AN ACT concerning employment.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Workers' Compensation Act is amended by
5changing Section 8.1b as follows:
 
6    (820 ILCS 305/8.1b)
7    Sec. 8.1b. Determination of permanent partial disability.
8For accidental injuries that occur on or after September 1,
92011, permanent partial disability shall be established using
10the following criteria:
11    (a) A physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its
12branches preparing a permanent partial disability impairment
13report shall report the level of impairment in writing. The
14report shall include an evaluation of medically defined and
15professionally appropriate measurements of impairment that
16include, but are not limited to: loss of range of motion; loss
17of strength; measured atrophy of tissue mass consistent with
18the injury; and any other measurements that establish the
19nature and extent of the impairment. The most current edition
20of the American Medical Association's "Guides to the Evaluation
21of Permanent Impairment" shall be used by the physician in
22determining the level of impairment.
23    (b) If an impairment report pursuant to subsection (a)

 

 

HB2584- 2 -LRB101 08369 JLS 53438 b

1exists, it must be considered by the Commission in its
2determination of the level of permanent partial disability. In
3determining the level of permanent partial disability, the
4Commission shall base its determination on the level of
5impairment reported pursuant to subsection (a). In addition to
6any impairment report submitted, the Commission shall, by a
7preponderance of credible evidence, consider the following
8additional factors to determine disability:
9        (i) the occupation of the injured employee;
10        (ii) the age of the employee at the time of the injury;
11        (iii) the employee's future earning capacity; and
12        (iv) evidence of disability at maximum medical
13    improvement corroborated by findings in the treating
14    medical records.
15    In determining the level of permanent partial disability,
16the Commission shall base its determination on the report of
17impairment, after considering by a preponderance of credible
18evidence, the additional factors to determine disability. No
19single enumerated factor shall be the sole determinant of
20disability. In determining the level of disability, the
21relevance and weight of any factors used in addition to the
22level of impairment as reported by the physician must be
23explained in a written order.
24    (c) A report of impairment prepared pursuant to subsection
25(a) is not required for the arbitrator or Commission to approve
26a Settlement Contract Lump Sum Petition. In determining the

 

 

HB2584- 3 -LRB101 08369 JLS 53438 b

1level of permanent partial disability, the Commission shall
2base its determination on the following factors: (i) the
3reported level of impairment pursuant to subsection (a); (ii)
4the occupation of the injured employee; (iii) the age of the
5employee at the time of the injury; (iv) the employee's future
6earning capacity; and (v) evidence of disability corroborated
7by the treating medical records. No single enumerated factor
8shall be the sole determinant of disability. In determining the
9level of disability, the relevance and weight of any factors
10used in addition to the level of impairment as reported by the
11physician must be explained in a written order.
12(Source: P.A. 97-18, eff. 6-28-11.)
 
13    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
14becoming law.