Workers’ Compensation In Minneapolis
Minneapolis workers compensation is a no-fault system which is designed to provide work injury compensation to Minneapolis workers who suffer a work injury from their normal employment activities. To receive work injury compensation the Minneapolis worker does not have to prove their employer’s negligence caused their work injury.
A work injury can be any type condition which is accelerated or aggravated by an employee’s job duties, but the employee must be able to prove that their job substantially contributed to their work injury. Not all work injuries are covered by workers compensation. Work injuries which are the result of an employee’s intentional actions, intoxication or horseplay may not be covered. Work injuries sustained travelling to and from work may not be covered as well as work injuries suffered while engaged in voluntary, recreational or social activities at work.
Common work injuries or occupational diseased which may occur while performing job duties may include:
- Back and neck injuries
- Abrasions and burns
- Amputations of arms or legs
- Concussions
- Heart attack or strokes on the job
- Carpel Tunnel
- Diseases caused by inhalation of chemicals or other toxins
Minneapolis Workers Compensation Benefits:
Workers comp insurance provides medical benefits and wage loss compensation for Minneapolis employees. These benefits include:
- Medical Benefits – Minneapolis workers who suffer an injury at work are eligible for all medical care related to their work injury. There is not a time limit or monetary limit for workers comp medical benefits. Medical benefits can include: doctor’s services, laboratory services, hospital stays and medication.
- Wage loss compensation –
- Permanent partial disability – If a Minneapolis employee has lost permanent function of certain body parts from a work injury or occupational disease workers compensation will assign a rating for the loss according to a permanent disability schedule. The rating is then multiplied by a dollar amount or a specific number of weeks to decide the work injury compensation amount.
- Permanent total disability – If a Minneapolis employee who has suffered an injury at work is not going to return to gainful employment they may receive permanent total disability payments which are calculated the same as temporary total disability.
- Temporary partial disability – Minneapolis workers who are injured at work and return to work, but due to their work injury are unable to make as much as they were making before their injury, may be eligible to receive temporary partial disability work injury compensation.
- Temporary total disability (TTD) Minneapolis workers who suffer an injury at work and are unable to work at all may receive weekly compensation (subject to a waiting period) which is 2/3 of the employee’s gross weekly wage amount at the time of the work injury. Workers compensation law does establish statutory minimums and maxims for TTD payments and the payments can not be paid along with permanent partial disability benefits.
- Vocational Rehabilitation Services – If a work injury prevents an employee from returning to work, workers compensation may provide vocation rehabilitation services to retrain or help place an employee in another job position.
Do I Need a Minneapolis Worker’s Compensation Attorney?
Workers who sustain an injury at work do not have to hire a worker comp attorney but some work injuries can be serious and sometimes work compensation claims are denied. Employers, who may be more interested in their bottom line and saving costs, will have their own worker’s compensation lawyers.
Workers compensation lawyers can also help if a work injury was caused by a third party product or if an employee is suffering workplace discrimination or harassment due to the work injury.
