Getting injured in the workplace can be a traumatic and serious event. Even if your workplace injury is only mild, you’ll likely still need to file a workers’ comp claim with your employer. More severe injuries will likely require medical treatment that can lead to a build-up of medical bills and missed work. Additionally, some injured employees may never be able to return to work due to their injury, which can significantly affect their personal and professional livelihood.
There are several different types of workers’ comp benefits you can receive as a result of your injury, including permanent total disability, social security disability benefits, dependency disability, and temporary partial disability benefits. If you plan to file a claim due to a work-related injury, it’s wise to first speak with a workplace injury attorney who can help you determine the best steps for you to take. The attorney you choose should be familiar with Minnesota workers’ comp laws and be ready and willing to fight on your behalf with the insurance company or in a court of law if necessary.
Ensuring you get the compensation you need and deserve can assist you in reclaiming your life after an injury and ensure you are adequately reimbursed for any lost wages or expenses. Workers’ comp attorneys can explain all of the benefits you are entitled to and help you win each one.
Examples Of Causes Of Injuries In The Workplace
Personal injuries happen for a variety of reasons at work. Some accidents are simply unavoidable, while others may result from negligence or malicious intent on behalf of the worker or another employee who causes harm to the injured worker. The following are several reasons why injuries happen in places of employment:
- Car accidents or other motor vehicle accidents, such as semi-truck crashes
- Other auto accidents such as those involving tractors, forklifts, and lifts
- Slips and falls in the workplace are caused by wet floors, debris, poor lighting in walkway areas, and uneven walkway areas. Falls can be dangerous depending on how hard the person falls.
- Falling from a high location, such as a roof, stairway, platform, ladder, or scaffolding
- Overexertion, such as continuing to perform activities like lifting and carrying. This type of accident can be a one-time event or accumulate over a period of time.
- Getting electrocuted by things such as wires and cords
- Getting struck by a heavy object, such as an object that has fallen or an object that has been thrown by another individual
- Violence, such as another employee starting a fight with the employee who becomes injured
- Repetitive motion injuries, such as continuing to perform tasks that cause pain. For example, regular typing on a computer can result in carpal tunnel syndrome.
Examples Of Workplace Injuries
As mentioned above, there are several causes of workplace injuries. The cause and the severity of the incident will largely determine the type of injury an employee sustains. Examples of workplace injuries include:
- Broken bones
- Fractures
- Knee injuries
- Loss of limbs, fingers, or toes
- Back and head injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Herniated discs
- Concussions
- Neck or spinal cord injuries
- Wrongful death
If you or someone you love have experienced any of these injuries in the workplace due to an accidental or malicious situation, you are likely eligible to file a workers’ comp injury claim. Even if your injuries are less severe, filing an injury case with your employer can ensure they are aware of the situation and make changes to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
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Ways To Stay Safe At Work
Taking the appropriate measures and adhering to safe practices is the best way to prevent workplace injuries for both you and other employees. Some of the measures that can be taken by both the employer and employees include:
- Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) when working with toxic or chemical substances
- Wearing a personal safety device that allows you to inform someone in the event of an injury
- The installation of worker alarms in various areas that workers can set off in the event of an injury or dangerous conditions
- Properly maintain and perform regular maintenance on all equipment and other materials that workers use on a regular basis
- Asking your employer to perform regularly scheduled risk assessments of the workplace and materials used
- Wearing appropriate clothing and protection when working with heavy objects or machinery
- Checking any machinery being used before beginning to use to ensure it is up-to-date on safety precautions and maintenance.
While many of these tasks are the responsibility of the employer, some of them are able to be done by employees. For example, always putting on PPE is something that the employee is responsible for. Unfortunately, even if you take all of these measures, some accidents are simply unavoidable.
Types Of Benefits You May Receive From Your Workers’ Comp Case
There are several types of workers’ compensation benefits that an injured employee may be eligible for. The benefits an employee receives will likely depend on the severity of the injury and the situation in which it happened. Benefits may include:
- Temporary partial disability, which is when an employee is able to return to work but is unable to earn what they once did due to the injury.
- Temporary total disability, which is when a worker is unable to work for an extended period of time due to the injury.
- Permanent total disability, which is a benefit that provides employees who can never return to work.
- Dependency disability, which is given in the event that the worker was killed in the accident in the workplace.
- Permanent partial disability, which is when a worker loses the functional ability to use their body and is unable to return to work.
An experienced Duluth workers’ compensation attorney can help you better understand these benefits and which ones you may qualify for. They can also help ensure you receive the benefits you need and deserve following a workplace accident.
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Working with a workers’ comp lawyer can significantly increase your chances of success when filing a workers’ comp claim or taking a workers’ comp case to court. Some employers’ insurance companies will do what they can to minimize the claim in order to provide fewer benefits to protect their bottom line. This is unfair and goes against your rights, and an MN workers’ compensation lawyer can ensure you receive the benefits you deserve.
Florin|Roebig has some of the most qualified lawyers in Minnesota, many of which serve the Duluth area. Our award-winning attorneys have years of experience in this area of law and would be happy to assist you every step of the way of your workers’ compensation claim. To learn more about how we can help and receive a complimentary and confidential consultation, give our law firm a call today or utilize the chat feature on our website. Our attorneys have been voted as some of the “Best Lawyers in America” by “US News and World Report,” and Florin|Roebig has more than 30 years of experience working with clients like you.
