I've Been Injured At Work And I Need Help. What Do I Do First?

Failing to report an accident can lead to several problems.  If you do not report an accident on time, your employer can deny you medical treatment and out of work benefits.  The workers’ compensation insurance carrier will also question why your employer did not report the accident on time.  More often however, if you do not report an injury when it happens, your employer can deny the accident occurred or may claim it happened outside of work.  

What should you do?  The first thing you need to do is report the injury and DOCUMENT the fact that you reported the injury.  I love email and there is no better way to document an injury than emailing your team leader, supervisor, company HR, etc.  I have seem dozens of situations where an injured worker is encouraged not to report the injury because the employer will "take care" of the employee directly.  Employers may even lie to employees by telling them that if they report the injury to the insurance company other employees may need to be laid off, bonuses missed and possibly even a loss of job just because you had the bad luck of getting injured. Formally report the accident to your employer in writing, even if you think you are not seriously hurt.  By reporting the accident, you protect yourself against the employer who might claim that you were injured away from the workplace.  When possible, report the accident in writing or in the presence of a friend or reliable witness.  If you are a union member, you should also report the accident to your union representative in addition to your employer.      

If you are injured at work, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits including wage loss, medical benefits and possibly retraining.  Atkinson Law Office, P.A. and Minnesota Disability have represented working families with sound legal advice and guidance when they need a lawyer most.   You will received a FREE consultation...yes, it's absolutely FREE!  We have a team of Workers’ Compensation attorneys and professional who work tirelessly to protect the rights of injured workers.  We provide free consultations to inform you of your rights and obligations under the law and strongly recommend that you call us today if you have been hurt at work.  Our phones are answered 24/7 and you can frequently speak to an attorney any time of the day or night.  651-414-078.  We represent clients throughout the entire state of Minnesota.  Visit us at www.mndisability.com

Minnesota Workers Compensation Back Open For Business But Not As Usual!

Having just returned to work, our fine workers compensation judges are working quickly to clear a backlog of pending cases, stipulations for settlements, hearings and discontinuance conferences.  If you are one of the thousands of injured workers who have had their claims on hold during the month of July, we are pleased to share with you that within a few more weeks, the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings and the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry will be close to being caught up.  However, you can expect a few changes in store.  First, there are a few new workers compensation judges in the Twin Cities and Duluth and there are some procedural changes which I will address in future updates.

In this posting I want to reiterate an issue that comes up EVERY single week in my office.  We receive calls from injured workers whose claims have been paid for months and sometimes even for years without any significant conflict.  One day however, they have the rug pulled from underneath them and their benefits which they have come to count on END!  At Minnesota Disability and Atkinson Law Office we have represented thousands of injured workers long before an actual conflict exists.  There is no cost to you and our advice helps you plan for the eventual discontinuance of your benefits rather than merely react when the time comes.  If you have been injured at work it is imperative that you talk with an experienced workers compensation lawyer who are experts in workers compensation.  We caution you against choosing an individual who is not a true specialist.  Contact one of the lawyers from our office for a free consultation and learn how we can assist you without the need for a retainer.  NEVER a fee unless we recover benefits for you.  www.mndisabilty.com  651-333-3636.