General Refractories v. Industrial Commission

Claimant, John Burgett, sought benefits pursuant to the Workers’ Compensation Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 48, par. 138.1 et seq.) (the Act) for injuries sustained while in the employ of respondent General Refractories. Burgett began working for General Refractories in 1978 as a grinder operator. Burgett injured his back on September 16, 1987. The injury consisted of a right-sided herniated disc at L5-S1 with mild compromise of the L4-L5 neural foramen bilaterally and a bulging disc at L4-L5. Burgett’s treating physician, Dr. Noel Bass, testified that this condition was permanent and that…