Have you been injured at work? If so, you may have a lot of questions about workers’ compensation. Below, you will find some of the most common questions answered:
- Q. What should I do after being injured on the job?
A. The very first thing you need to do is inform your employer of the injury and then seek medical attention. Once you have received medical attention and an assessment by a physician, you may wish to file a claim for workers’ compensation with your Twin Cities workers’ compensation attorney if it is determined you are unable to work due to the injury. - Q. How can I find out who my employer’s workers’ compensation insurer is?
A. If your employer will not tell you, you can contact the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry or Sundquist Law Firm can contact them to find out who the provider is. - Q. How are wage loss benefits calculated?
A. There is a formula used in Minnesota that calculates wage loss benefits. The employee’s average weekly salary is determined by averaging it out over the 26 weeks prior to the injury. Once this average is determined, you are entitled to 2/3 of your lost wages. If you are disabled but you are still able to work, you will be paid 2/3 the difference between your current wages and the 26 weeks in wages prior to the injury. - Q. What are the additional benefits?
A. In addition to wage loss benefits, there are medical benefits so that medical expenses can be paid. A person may also receive vocational rehabilitation benefits, which is where a person is trained to perform a different kind of job that will accommodate their disability. Depending upon the circumstances, there may be additional benefits. - Q. How much time do I have to file my claim?
A. In Minnesota, the rule is that you need to inform your employer of the injury within 30 days of the time you were injured. There may be some exceptions to this rule that could give a person 180 days to file the report. You then have three years to file your claim. - Q. What issues could I face during the claims process?
A. There are a number of issues that could come about that could delay or prevent you from receiving benefits. For example, the insurance company and the employer could claim that your injuries were not work-related and were pre-existing. Some employers have even been known to retaliate when an employee files a workers’ compensation claim. This is why it is very important to have a Minnesota workers’ compensation attorney advocating for you.
Contact a Minnesota Workplace Injuries Lawyer
When you have been injured at work, you have to somehow make ends meet. That is what workers’ compensation is for. It is designed to help you when you are injured to the point you cannot work. If you have any additional questions about workers’ compensation, contact Sundquist Law Firm by calling the Twin Cities office at 651-228-1881 or the Hibbing, MN office at 800-457-4811 and schedule your free consultation.