Based in part on testimony provided by the retraining specialist and our client’s earlier transcripts from Joliet Junior College showing she already had 55 semester credits, the arbitrator agreed that she was, in fact, an excellent candidate for further education and ordered the full cost of her degree to be paid by the employer, the State of Illinois, including all books, tuition, mileage and incidental costs for NIU.

The arbitrator also ordered the state to continue to pay weekly maintenance benefits while our client is a full-time student, in addition to $44,625.98 in medical bills.

Finding that the state had no reasonable basis to delay the payment of medical bills and TTD, the arbitrator also assessed penalties and fees in the amount of $39,751.