St. Paul Workers' Compensation Process Lawyer

Injured On the Job

Numerous people are hurt in the course of employment each year. They are hurt while lifting heavy objects, in accidents caused by heavy machinery, in car accidents, by repetitive stress and in countless other ways. Each incident is unique, and the injuries caused can have a unique impact on your life.

If you have been injured on the job, you should know that you may be entitled to certain benefits provided by your employer's workers' compensation insurance company. These benefits can help lessen the impact of a work injury on your life so that you can continue to care for your family and get the care you need while you recover.

Notice to Employer

If you have been injured on the job, giving honest, accurate and timely notice to your employer is critical. In fact, notice is required by Minnesota workers' compensation law. Cases have been lost before they were ever filed — just because an injured worker failed to give proper notice to his or her employer. Not reporting your injuries or waiting a few days or weeks can only hurt you, delaying benefits or even risking denial of benefits completely.

Even though it is important, many people fail to report their injuries on time. Some do not fully understand the seriousness of the situation. They think that their injuries aren't that bad or that they will get better without medical attention. Other people wish to protect their relationships with their bosses. They don't want to cause trouble by reporting a workplace injury or occupational disease.

Notice is a critical part of your Minnesota workers' compensation case. Don't cheat yourself out of the benefits you are entitled to. If you have been hurt on the job, speak up. Report your injury to your employer. It's the right thing to do.

Seek Medical Attention

After a work injury, getting medical attention is just as important as giving notice to your employer. If you do not have medical evidence of your on-the-job accident and if you don't tell your health care provider that your injury occurred at work, it may be very difficult to prove your workers' compensation case.

With your help, your doctor should take the time to complete a  Report of Work Ability (RWA) form that details any physical limitations that you may have because of your work injury. Your employer and your employer's workers' compensation insurer must receive copies of the RWA form as quickly as possible, or it may have a negative effect on your claim.

When you work with your doctor, you should keep several important things in mind:

• Don't underestimate your pain. Minnesota is full of strong, hard workers. Many people believe that they can "tough it out" by ignoring the pain until it goes away. Untreated medical problems may get worse — not better — and insurers are unwilling to give workers' compensation benefits to people who never saw a doctor and therefore have no medical records of an occupational illness or work injury.
• Report all of your symptoms. If you are worried about forgetting some of your symptoms, make a written list that can become part of your medical file.
• Be honest about your symptoms — don't exaggerate or leave things out.Symptoms that seem unimportant now may actually be serious signs of a major illness or injury. At the same time, you may get caught in a lie if you state that your pain is more serious than it actually is. Honesty is the best policy.
• Bring a "second set of ears." If you feel overwhelmed by your doctor's instructions, bring a friend or family member along to your next appointment. Your other listener can recount what your doctor says and help you understand what actions to take.
• Ask your doctor to write things down. Get confusing explanations in writing. Your doctor's notes can help you get more information later by giving you key terms to search on the Internet or at the library.
• Keep ongoing appointments. Don't skip care just because you start to feel better. In order to get the full and fair workers' compensation benefits that you are entitled to, your case documents should show a treatment history. Continued treatment is the right thing to do and can help you stay healthier longer.

Lost Time From Work?

Injured workers receive wage-loss benefits depending on how many days of work they are required to miss because of a work injury. Even if you did not lose time from work because of your injury, you may still be eligible for other benefits. These include medical benefits or rehabilitation benefits. The surviving family members of people who have been killed in work accidents are also entitled to dependency and death benefits.

Seek a Lawyer's Help

If you report an injury to your employer that causes you to miss more than three days of work, your employer is required by law to file a document called an employer's First Report of Injury. The document must be filed with the Department of Labor and Industry and also with your employer's workers' compensation insurer. This starts the workers' compensation claim process.

While your employer is handling the First Report of Injury, you can take action too. The best way to protect your rights is to retain an experienced lawyer. Attorney Mark Fellman uses extensive experience to navigate the claims process. When we take your case, our firm will take forceful action to achieve the best possible results for you.

You don't have to handle your workers' compensation claim alone. St. Paul attorney Mark Fellman will explain the workers' compensation process. Talk with us for free. Just call 651-222-9515 or complete our online intake form.

Claim Accepted

If your claim is accepted, your workers' compensation insurer pays for medical treatment and wage loss, as well as vocational rehabilitation benefits.

Claim Denied

If your workers' compensation claim has been denied or not fully accepted, we ask that you bring information regarding the denial or refusal to pay with you to your free consultation. We can review it with you and help you understand the process for a claim petition. The process is complex and filled with many critical deadlines and important dates. Even one missed deadline can mean the loss of workers' comp benefits, so it is critical to work with an experienced Minneapolis work injury claim attorney.

Our focus is then on taking quick and effective action to protect your rights. To do so, we may file a Claim Petition with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry so that you can get all the benefits to which you are entitled.

To learn more about our work, please contact the Fellman Law Office at 651-222-9515 or by completing our online contact form. Initial consultations are free and confidential.

Workers' Compensation Insurer Pays Benefits

If you suffer from an injury or illness and cannot work, you may be entitled to temporary or permanent disability benefits, whether partial or total.