Bachelor of Science–Business Administration (Cum Laude)
University of Illinois, 1983

Juris Doctorate (With Distinction)
University of Iowa, 1986

jvoelker@hrva.com

Jim began his career with Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen by clerking for the firm during law school. In 1986, he joined the firm as an attorney in his hometown of Peoria. He became a partner with the firm in 1996.

Practice Emphasis:

Jim concentrates his practice in the areas of workers’ compensation and personal injury litigation. He has tried over 200 workers’ compensation cases and numerous civil cases throughout the state of Illinois. He handles all aspects of workers’ compensation litigation including trials and appeals.

Jim is the author of various articles and speeches prepared and presented for business groups and employers in the state of Illinois. Selected workers’ compensation presentations include: “Injuries in the Workplace in Illinois - Occupational Diseases vs. Ordinary Diseases of Life,” 1993; “Workers’ Compensation in Illinois - In Your Client’s Best Interest – Ethical Considerations,” 1994; “Illinois Labor and Employment Law - Injuries in the Workplace – Examining the Workers’ Compensation Process,” 1995; “Advanced Workers’ Compensation in Illinois Medical Issues and Their Role in the Complex Workers’ Compensation Claim,” 1996; “Workers’ Compensation in Illinois – Hearings – When Voluntary Settlements Cannot be Reached,” 1997; “Return to Work Issues Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act,” 1999; “Benefits Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act,” 1999; “Advanced Workers’ Compensation in Illinois,” 2000; “Return to Work Issues in Illinois,” 2000; “Introduction to Workers’ Compensation,” 2000; “The Employee Who Can’t Return to Work: Wage Differentials, Permanent Totals, Vocational Rehabilitation and Job Placement,” 2001. Business presentations include: “Commerce 101 - Legal Issues,” 2000; “Legal Issues in E-Commerce for Small Business,” 2001; “Creating and Maintaining a Case Management System,” 2001; “The Employee Who Can’t Return to Work: Wage Differentials, Vocational Rehabilitation and Job Placement,” 2001; “Wage Calculations,” 2001; “Temporary Benefits and Termination of Temporary Disability Benefits,” 2001; “Injury Values Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act,” 2002; “Injuries in the Workplace - Examining the Workers’ Compensation Process,” 2003; “Workers Compensation in Illinois - Terminating TTD,” 2004; “Medicare Secondary Payer Statute and Settlements Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act,” 2004; “Social Security Disability Offsets and Settlements Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act,” 2004; and “Advanced Workers’ Compensation in Illinois - Medicare Secondary Payer Statute and Social Security Offsets,” 2005; “Warm up to the Government: Social Security Offsets and Dealing with CMS - Medicare Secondary Payer Statute,” 2005; “The Medicare Secondary Payer Statute and Settlements Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act,” 2006; Social Security Disability Offsets and Settlements Under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act,” 2006; “Terminating TTD,” 2006; “Injury Values,” 2006; “Medicare approval re Workers’ Compensation Settlements,” 2006; “Handling Preexisting Injuries and Repeat Claimants While Staying in Compliance with Illinois Workers’ Comp Laws,” 2006; “The Interrelationship Between Social Security Disability, Medicare and Workers’ Compensation Settlements,” 2007; “Medicare Set-Aside Agreements - The Rest of the Story,” 2007.

Jim is also the author of CompCalc, Illinois Workers’ Compensation software, that is used throughout the state of Illinois by insurance companies, employers, attorneys, and several arbitrators of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission to calculate workers’ compensation benefits. CompCalc can be downloaded at: www.illinoiscomp.com. Jim is also the founder of www.illinoiscomp.com, a web site devoted to workers’ compensation issues in Illinois. Jim was also a co-founder of the Heartland Free-Net.

Jim is also the author of the two most recent chapters in the IICLE Illinois Workers’ Compensation Practice Handbook - “Medicare Secondary Payer Statute” and “Social Security Disability Offsets.”

He is a member of the Peoria County, Illinois State, and American Bar Associations, as well as the Abraham Lincoln Inns of Court.

Admitted to Practice: