Worker's Estate Can Collect PPD Benefits that Accrued Prior to Worker's Death

The Illinois Appellate Court ruled last week that a worker's death does not abate an employer's obligation to pay permanent partial disability benefits that accrued before she died, even though she had no spouse or dependents to receive the payment. While the Illinois comp scheme provides for the payment of benefits to a worker's surviving spouse or dependents if the worker dies before being fully compensated for an industrial injury, the court said, benefits which accrued up to the date of death are payable to the employee's estate. A contrary conclusion could encourage empl...