Experienced Workers Comp Attorneys in St Paul, Minnesota
Employees in Minnesota always have the right to workers’ compensation benefits when they are injured on the job, no matter what it is that you do for a living. Workers’ compensation helps people pay for medical bills, provides disability payments to make up for lost wages, helps pay professional rehabilitation treatment, gives training support for a career switch, as well as many other benefits. These benefits are extremely necessary after a serious work-related injury, since so much of one’s life can be affected. If you were injured on-the-job and need help with a workers comp claim, do not take on the task alone. Dealing with a team of lawyers working against your worker compensation claim is not the way to go. Hire an experienced Minnesota workers comp attorney that will work diligently and effectively on your behalf to the playing is field is level and your benefits are secure.
In Minnesota, the workers’ compensation system considered a no-fault plan, which means that it doesn’t necessarily matter who is at fault for the injury in terms of having the right to workers’ comp benefits. Because the system is set up in this way, it makes sense that a lot of injured workers shouldn’t need a workers’ compensation attorney in order to obtain the benefits they deserve, but unfortunately there are plenty of instances in which legal disputes arise over work injuries. In these situations, it is absolutely necessary to obtain the help of a workers’ compensation specialist.
The two most common legal disputes or contention points are whether an injury really occurred on the job and the extent of the injury. An example of this would be an employee injuring their back on the job, but an insurance company arguing that the back pain was actually caused by long-term degeneration. Within these types of situations it’s always a requirement to obtain legal counsel, and on this page we’ll be discussing some of the more intricate details of workers’ compensation claims in Minnesota, as well as a comprehensive workers’ comp checklist for employers.
No-fault trade-off for Workers Comp Claim
There is a trade-of in Minnesota when it comes to workers’ compensation benefits, and it pertains to the limitation in the amount of damages an employee can receive from an employer if the employer themselves are at fault for causing the injury. Essentially you cannot obtain any kind of additional compensation against an employer, even if your injury on the job was your employer’s fault.
An example of this would be an employer negligently dropping a hammer on an employee’s foot, and in this situation the compensation benefits would be the exact same as if the employee dropped the hammer on their foot themselves.
Compensation from Third-party after Work Injury
Injured workers are limited to how much compensation they can receive from an employer, but an employee can receive additional compensation in the case that a third party was the cause of the injury. This is a common situation in which a personal injury lawyer would be required, and an example of this would be if an employee were injured in a car accident while working. In this situation, a lawyer would represent the employee in a claim against the other driver.
Another example of a third party claim would be a defective machine causing a work-related injury, and this would include a claim against the manufacturer of the product. Other common examples include dog bites (predominately for postal workers), slip and fall claims against property owners and construction workers being injured by third parties on job sites.
Within all of these examples the worker is injured on the job, which subsequently allows them to receive workers’ compensation benefits, but because the injury was brought about by a third party that was not related to their work there is an option to obtain a whole new additional claim against that third party.
CONTACT AN EXPERIENCED ST. PAUL WORKERS’ COMPENSATION ATTORNEY
We have offices in St. Paul and White Bear Lake and serve clients all throughout Minnesota, so if you or a loved one has been injured at work please call our injury lawyers to discuss your case. Our team can help you with any cases involving a denial of workers’ compensation benefits, as well as a potential claim against a third party. To arrange a free consultation with our trusted lawyers call 651-291-7263, or SEND US A MESSAGE online.
SAND LAW – ST. PAUL OFFICE
332 Minnesota St Ste W2402
St Paul, MN 55101
651-291-7263