At 612-INJURED, our workers’ compensation lawyers know that any injury can devastate your livelihood without notice. But when our Minnesota residents are injured at work, the confusion involved in pursuing their employers — the very companies that provide their livelihoods — can cause incredible stress and anxiety that can keep them from making informed decisions about their wellbeing.
That is why we are here. Our workers’ comp lawyers remove the uncertainty from the legal process and provide a skilled, customized approach to pursue the real-time and future benefits to which our clients are entitled.
Are All Minnesota Companies Required to Carry Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
In Minnesota, all private businesses with at least one part-time employee must provide workers’ compensation insurance for their staff, although there are exceptions.
The following companies and employees are not required to carry workers’ compensation coverage or have access to the benefits provided by workers’ compensation coverage:
- State and federal government employees
- Certain interstate trucking and railroad company workers
- Certain household domestic workers, including gardeners or housekeepers, who earn less than $1,000 over three-months from a single household
- Certain farming employees
- Employees who work for nonprofit associations whose salaries do not exceed $1,000 per year
- The spouse, parent, or child of a sole proprietor, manager of a small limited liability company, or executive officer of a closely held corporation
- Employees performing occasional/temporary work not related to the type of business normally conducted by the employer
Individuals who meet the criteria of the multi-factor test used to determine their status as an independent contractor are also not entitled to workers’ compensation benefits in Minnesota.
Outside of those exceptions, all other employees are eligible to file a workers’ compensation claim in Minnesota.
Do I Have to Report My Injury to My Employer before Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Minnesota?
To avoid any negative impact or possible ineligibility for workers’ compensation benefits, the best practice is to report your injury to your supervisor as soon as possible. In Minnesota, you must report any workplace accident to your employer within 14 days of the date of your injury.
If you are suffering from an occupational disease, the date of your injury is the first day that you knew — or should have known — your injuries were work related.
In most cases, however, you will still be eligible for work comp benefits in Minnesota if you file your claim within 30 days of your injury if your employer wasn’t harmed by the delay.
Once the injury is reported, your employer must:
- Complete and file a First Report of Injury form with their workers’ compensation insurance company
- Send a copy of the completed and filed form to the injured party for their records
The insurance company must file a report with the Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry within 10 days but has 14 days to investigate the claim and determine whether they will accept or deny it.
Can I Seek Medical Treatment after an At-Work Injury While I Await the Insurance Company’s Decision on My Workers’ Compensation Claim?
If your at-work injury requires emergency medical care, you should seek treatment immediately — from any healthcare provider you choose — and notify the attending physician that your injuries were job related.
You may also select your healthcare providers for non-emergency care unless your employer has a state-certified managed care plan. If so, they must notify you of their coverage in writing, which will require you to choose a doctor within the plan, unless there is no healthcare network provider located within 30 to 50 miles from your home or work, then you may choose your doctor.
Are You Eligible to Pursue Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Minnesota?
If you are having trouble making sense of the workers’ compensation laws in Minnesota or have been wrongfully denied workers’ comp benefits, contact our skilled workers’ compensation attorneys at 612-INJURED today by calling or texting (612) 465-8733 for a free consultation to get the straightforward answers and legal guidance you need to pursue the benefits you are entitled to for your workplace injuries.
