5 Things Workers’ Compensation Should Pay For

 In Workers' Compensation

Minnesota’s workers’ compensation system is in place to cover employees in the event of illness or injury while at work. When the system works as stated, the employee or the employee’s dependents receive all the compensation deserved. So what exactly does that compensation include?

The 5 Workers’ Compensation Benefits

  • Medical bills: Your employer’s work comp policy will pay for all reasonable and necessary medical care that is related to your injury illness.
  • Disability benefits: If you sustained temporary or permanent damage to any body part or system, workers’ compensation will step in to provide you with disability benefits. Your total compensation is determined by a rating scale that takes into consideration the extent of your disability and which body part is involved.
  • Lost wages: Workers’ comp generally replaces up to two-thirds of your average weekly income. There are limits to that weekly amount, however. According to the most recent publication from the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), Minnesota’s max compensation rate per week is $1,008.78.
  • Job retraining: Retraining, or vocational rehabilitation, is available to workers who are able to go back to work, but their employers are unable to find them a position that fits within the workers’ restrictions. The rehabilitation benefit pays a certain fee to cover job development and placement services, up to a maximum allotment.
  • Death/dependency benefits: If you lost your spouse or parent due to a workplace accident or work-related illness, you can obtain death benefits through the employer’s workers’ comp policy. The state places a maximum amount of benefits to pay out.

What About Pain and Suffering?

The workers’ compensation system pays only for tangible items—items that you can easily monetize. Intangibles such as pain and suffering do not come into consideration in your workers’ comp benefits.

What to Do If You or Your Loved One Has Been Hurt

There are several steps to follow once you have been hurt. They include:

  • Reporting your injury as soon as possible to your employer.
  • Getting immediate medical help.
  • Keeping track of all things related to your workplace accident and injury.
  • Making all doctors’ appointments and following through on all doctors’ orders.

For more information on what you should know about the workers’ comp system in Minnesota and what you should do following an injury, download this employee guide from the DLI or contact a work comp attorney.

 

Sources: Common Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Benefit Adjustments published by the MN DLI
Photo credit: Hard-earned rest at Hindhead by HighwaysEngland, some rights reserved

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