What about all the pain and suffering associated with a work injury?
When a worker gets injured on a job and is no longer able to enjoy his or her life because of too much pain or the doctor says it is no longer advisable to engage in activities that the person loved to do, the situation can get pretty frustrating. If, on top of that, the insurer starts delaying payments or denying doctor visits, or not approving treatment that is recommended, it is easy to become overwhelmed and feel that there should be some compensation for all the pain and suffering you have to go through just because you got hurt... Read More
Common Workers Compensation Questions and Answers
If you have gotten hurt on the job (or working has aggravated your injury), you may have a workers’ compensation case. However, before you go running to a lawyer, you may want to get a little more information. Here are some common questions that you may be having. What is workers’ compensation? Workers’ compensation is the insurance system that was designed to protect both employers and employee with injuries, illness, or death that occurs at work. Employers have to pay for workers’ compensation insurance which is meant to protect them against any injuries that occur at work. What do I... Read More
Are Workplace Injuries Covered if I am now Working from Home?
Mankato Workplace Injury Attorney Minnesota Governor Tim Walz recently declared the coronavirus a “peacetime emergency”, and recommended certain actions for controlling its spread. One of those recommendations included asking businesses to allow teleworking whenever possible. With their workplace now redefined, many are wondering how that might affect their workers’ compensation benefits. Are employees still covered for an on-the-job injury while at home? Here is some vital information to know. Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Law According to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), the state’s workers’ compensation system is a “no-fault system designed to provide benefits to employees who are injured as a... Read More
Workers’ compensation statistics indicate good news for injured workers and employers in Minnesota
According to the latest Minnesota Workers’ Compensation System Report, which was released by the Department of Labor and Industry in April, insurance premiums for the 2018 calendar year are down 51 percent as compared with 1996, and are currently the lowest since that year, which is a good sign for employers who continue to strive to their workers’ safety on the job. Statistically, current work injuries add up to about 4 compensable claims per 100 full-time workers, which is more than a half lower than it used to in 1996. Despite this decrease in injuries and claims, according to the... Read More
Workers’ Compensation Coverage for Repetitive Trauma and Overuse Injuries
If your job requires you to do a lot of repetitive activities, such as gripping tools, reaching for objects, twisting, turning, bending, working overhead, or doing other movements in excess of what you would expect to be doing in your natural environment, you may notice that, over time, your body parts involved in those frequent repetitive activities start becoming painful or difficult to use. For example, you may notice that your right shoulder starts to lose its range of motion or that it is painful to reach overhead, or your back starts bothering you with lifting, or that your knees... Read More
Madelia Times Messenger features Yuri Jelokov
Yuri Jelokov of the Farrish Johnson Law Office was featured in the Madelia Times Messenger newspaper this week. Yuri practices in the areas of workers compensation, social security and disability claims. Read more about his interesting history, his family and his practice in the Madelia Times Messenger. Yuri is also a member of the Madelia Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Director. Visit him at our Madelia office on Wednesdays!
How Long Can I Stay on Work Comp?
Minnesota workers’ compensation system provides several options and guaranteed time limits for receiving wage loss benefits for injured workers. In general, you can continue receiving wage loss benefits for up to 130 weeks from the time you become unable to work, so long as you cannot return to your regular work, and your employer is not able to accommodate your work restrictions. In most cases, however, injured workers are able to go back to work before that period runs out. When that happens, so long as your medical restrictions continue to be in place, you would be eligible for up... Read More
No Overtime After Work Injury?
It is not unusual for an injured worker to be put on work restrictions following his or her injury at work. This sometimes can drastically affect that worker’s ability to earn their regular wages and put food on the table, especially if restrictions limit the number of hours they can work while in recovery. The limitations are typically 20 or 40 hours per week maximum. But what is the injured worker to do if he or she is used to relying on the overtime earnings to pay the bills? This issue usually arises when the overtime earnings are not very... Read More
Can I Get Fired If I Claim Workers’ Compensation?
We often hear this question from folks with recent work-related injuries who have never been hurt before or never thought about reporting a work injury and never had to deal with workers’ compensation. Since each case is unique, there is no straight answer that could be given without knowing more details. Generally, however, the law provides that any employer who fires or is threatening to discharge an injured worker because he or she is seeking workers’ compensation benefits, can be held liable for up to three times the value of the work comp benefits awarded. In other words, although technically... Read More
Injuries on Your Way to Work
If you get hurt on your way to or from work, your injuries may be covered by workers’ comp. Although, in general, injuries sustained by an employee while commuting to and from work are outside of the workers’ compensation coverage, there are some exceptions. In a recent decision of Hohlt v. University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Supreme Court held that a state employee was entitled to workers’ compensation benefits for the injuries she sustained when she slipped and fell on an ice-covered sidewalk curb ramp while walking to her car after work. The fact that she was not on the... Read More