Workers Compensation in Minnesota
You aren’t alone if you wonder how workers comp works. Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance that provides wage and medical benefits to people who have become ill or injured while at work. The extent of workers’ comp coverage an employer is required to carry is governed by Minnesota state law.
Thus, in trying to figure out how workers comp works, it helps to understand the laws on the books in the state where the business operates. If the injury or illness a worker sustains is eligible for compensation, the insurance carrier should help ease the financial burden the illness or injury created on the worker. Learn some of the basic principles of Minnesota workers’ compensation insurance and how the process works.
Workers Compensation Statistics in Minnesota?
According to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, private employers in Minnesota reported 73,000 nonfatal workplace incidents in 2019. Workers in manufacturing jobs or skilled nursing facilities had the highest rates of accidents in the state by far. 4.8 out of every 100 full-time construction workers were injured or fell ill on the job, based on data from Minnesota’s Department of Labor and Industry. In addition, the Minnesota Safety Council published a report that says the total annual cost of unintentional injuries for Minnesotans is more than $730 billion.
How Does Workers Comp Work in Minnesota?
There is a standard practice to follow when going through the Minnesota workers’ compensation process. Unfortunately, it begins with you getting sick or injured on the job. The circumstances surrounding the incident that led to the injury are especially crucial. The injury had to occur during your regular work duties. It could also occur while you are performing a special task at the request of your boss.
Minnesota requires most employers to have workers’ compensation, but exemptions exist in MN Statutes 176.041. Benefits include lost wages, medical bills, and vocational rehabilitation services for people injured on the job who cannot go back to work. The Department of Labor and Industry gives ⅔ of the last year’s average weekly salary to approved individuals for up to 130 weeks, unless permanent disability is necessary.
The steps you take immediately following a workplace incident in Minnesota are critical for purposes of filing a compensation claim. Follow the following steps to preserve your rights and learn how workers comp works.
Get Medical Attention
After you get injured or feel ill, the first step is to see a doctor. Don’t delay receiving help from a Minnesota healthcare professional. This could not only jeopardize your health, but you run the risk of missing time-sensitive deadlines in the workers’ compensation process.
Even if you believe that your injury is minor, get a proper medical report detailing the extent of the damage and how it occurred. This is the first step in the workers’ compensation claim process. Absent a medical report, your employer cannot file a claim with the insurance carrier.
When dealing with a job-related illness, the symptoms and diagnosis may not happen right away. You may find yourself attending regular checkups and testing for weeks or months before a doctor finally associates your illness with your job. All of your medical records will become the foundation from which the workers’ comp carrier will launch its investigation. Your doctor may make the determination that the illness is the result of your work conditions or aggravated by them. Once they do, see your human resources representative to file a workers’ compensation claim.
File a First Report of Injury
Once you have a medical diagnosis relating your illness or injury to your job, you must file a claim with your employer. This is the next important phase of how Minnesota workers comp works.
Minnesota gives employees injured on the job three years to apply for workers’ compensation. Any attempts to obtain benefits after that time may result in a denial. After seeking medical attention, report the injury to your employer as soon as you become aware that one occurred. Businesses are responsible for completing the First Report of Injury or Illness form for any work-related injury after an employee misses three days of work due to an accident. Assuming that your benefits are approved, a ten-day waiting period happens before receiving compensation.
The first report of an on-the-job injury or illness will provide the workers’ compensation insurance carrier with the details of the events leading up to the injury. In this report, you will provide your physical injuries, the medical treatment you received, and the facilities that provided it. It’s always a good idea to submit a copy of the doctor’s report with the report of injury.
Your employer should furnish you with information about the claims process. The adjuster or insurance carrier representative may want to speak to you at some point about the incident and any possible witnesses to the event. Minnesota has a three calendar day waiting period that starts on the first day of lost time at work. If the injuries are severe enough to justify permanent disability benefits, you may apply for lifelong compensation.
Why You Should Hire a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Understanding how workers’ compensation operates can seem straightforward at first, but the claims process often proves more complicated than expected. While some cases proceed without issue, others can quickly become challenging.
Your employer may dispute whether your injury occurred during work hours or off the clock. They might even challenge the severity of your injury. Pay disputes and disagreements over long-term care recommendations from your doctor can also arise. Don’t let confusion about the process jeopardize your claim. Partner with a workers’ comp attorney to ensure you have a dedicated advocate protecting your rights and pursuing the benefits you deserve.
Work With an Experienced Local Lawyer in Minnesota
Your health and well-being need to come first. If you are hurt while working or find out an illness you are suffering is the result of your job, you will want to seek compensation. Since the workers’ compensation claims process may be tricky. You should consider getting a local attorney well-versed in how to deal with it. We can even help you connect with an attorney across Minnesota state lines. They can guide you while you continue to learn how workers comp works.
Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!
About the Author
Aaron is a professional legal writer with a B.S. in English Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He has written, published, and edited thousands of legal articles for RequestLegalHelp, which has connected over 5 million people to legal help in the United States.
With over five years of experience writing thousands of legal articles for law firms across the U.S. and Canada, Aaron specializes in covering federal, state, and city-level legal issues ranging from auto accidents to wrongful terminations. Contact Aaron at [email protected] for article suggestions, collaborations, or inquiries.
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