A typical calculator online estimates a range based on assumptions—like average weekly wage, whether you reached medical stability, and the injury type. But in Illinois, the value of a claim is heavily influenced by what’s in the record, including:
- whether the injury is consistently described from the first report forward
- whether treatment notes support work-related causation
- whether restrictions limit your ability to do the job you actually have (not just the job you had before)
So, use a calculator to learn what factors might affect a settlement conversation—but don’t treat it as a promise. Two workers can enter settlement discussions with the same injury diagnosis and end up with very different outcomes depending on documentation and dispute risk.


