Robert E Luedke

Robert E Luedke has litigated Illinois workers compensation claims on behalf of employers for over 30 years. Mr.Luedke is a frequent lecturer on topics regarding the litigation of Illinois workers compensation claims. For more than two decades Mr. Luedke has drafted and distributed a case law update regarding recent Illinois workers compensation decisions. Mr. Luedke has litigated more than 500 Illinois workers compensation claims with many decisions in the Illinois appellate court. Mr. Luedke is a former Illinois Worker’s Compensation Commission arbitrator.

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

• Fisher v IWCC, 1-12-1261 WC (1 Dist. 2012). Successfully defended a fume exposure death case resulting in zero liability.
• Harmon v Kane County Forest Preserve, 2-17-278 (2nd Dist. 2018). Successfully reversed the arbitrator’s erroneous permanent total disability decision.
• Spongberg v IWCC, 02-2530 WC (1 Dist. 2002). Successfully proved the petitioner did not suffer a work accident resulting in zero liability for the employer.
• Mitchell v Atwood, 624 N.E.2d 878 (2 Dist. 1993). Successfully reversed the trial court’s erroneous 5(b) lien allocation resulting in an increased recovery for the employer.
• Hanas v IWCC, 99-1375 WC (1 Dist. 1999). Successfully argued that the petitioner was not restricted from his concurrent employment resulting in a lower average weekly wage calculation.
• Carrillo v IWCC, 2-00-0719 WC (1 Dist. 2002). Successfully argued that the petitioner did not suffer a work accident resulting in zero liability for the employer.
• Islas v. ASG Staffing, 12 WC 40931. Successfully obtained an award of $13,000 in medical bills rather than the $170,000 of medical bills claimed by petitioner.
• Scharlow v.Kone Inc., 10 WC 20520. Successfully proved the petitioner removed himself from the labor market and was not entitled to TTD benefits.
• Fine-Abramowitz v. Sears Home improvement, 08 WC 21483. Successfully proved the petitioner’s slip and fall at the workplace was not a compensable work accident resulting in zero liability for the employer.
• Rabulinsky v. Wilkins Buick-Mazda Suzuki Inc., 06 WC 8182. Successfully proved that the petitioner’s reduction in wages was the result of business reasons and not the employee’s work restrictions.
• Padilla v. Raani Corporation, 06 WC 20742. Successfully proved the petitioner was not permanently and totally disabled because of the work accident but was unemployed because of his undocumented immigration status.
• Diaz v. Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, 08 WC 47026. Successfully obtained an award of medical bills of $5311.17 instead of medical bills of $144,000 claimed by petitioner’s counsel.
• Mendoza v. Panera Bread, 08 WC 31345. Successfully demonstrated the petitioner was not permanently and totally disabled because of the work accident but was unemployed because of his undocumented immigration status.
• Nelson v. Pacific Rail Services, 09 WC 19474. Successfully proved that the petitioner’s carpal tunnel syndrome was not work related by obtaining an expert to test the vibration alleged in the steering wheel of a tractor used at the workplace.
• Rakoci v. Tri-State Fire Protection District, 13 WC 30770. Successfully proved the self-employed part-time brickmason’s average weekly wage was not based on union pay scale for a 40 hour work week.

CLE CREDIT SEMINARS PRESENTED

• Cross-examination of Physicians in Illinois Worker’s Compensation Cases, June 7, 2017.
• Reduction of Medical Bills under Section 19(p), November 21, 2016.
• Workers’Compensation Case Law Update, October 8, 2015.
• Trial Objections in the Defense of Illinois Worker’s Compensation Claims, February 12, 2015.
• Medical Evidence in Illinois Worker’s Compensation Cases, July 30, 2014.
• Cross-examination, April 29, 2014.
• Medicare Secondary Payer Statute, October 10, 2013.

EDUCATION

• J.D., Drake University
• M.B.A., Drake University
• B.B.A., Monmouth College

ADMITTED TO PRACTICE

• Illinois

Mr. Luedke is a member of the Workers Compensation Lawyers Association.