If you get injured on the job in Minnesota, you need to make sure take the proper steps to make your workers’ compensation claim. Any legitimate on-the-job injury makes you eligible to seek compensation for lost wages, medical bills and possibly other expenses related to the injury. However, if you do not follow the right procedure to make your claim, you could be denied any benefits.
Understanding the process involves getting a clear idea of what it entails. You should know every step from what to do when you get injured to how your claim will be finalized.
Steps in the process
According to the Department of Labor and Industry, the first step in the workers’ compensation claim process is notifying your employer. At this time, the employer will fill out the forms required of them to begin the workers’ compensation process. You should then seek any medical care you need and get the forms you will need to fill out from your healthcare provider. If you miss time from work, you need to wait through the mandatory waiting period. If you do not need time off work, you can simply return to your position at your next scheduled work time.
Your employer’s insurer should be filing a form to keep the process going. This paperwork will be submitted and reviewed. The claim will then either be denied or approved. If it is rejected, you have the right to appeal it. If it is approved, you may receive benefits to use for your medical expenses, to make up for the lost wages from time off and to cover any additional costs you may have.
The ultimate goal of any workers’ compensation claim is to ensure you are compensated for injuries that were not your fault, so you can get the treatment you need to return to work. The process can be long, but as long as you fill out all paperwork carefully and follow all instructions you are given, you should find the process is relatively simple.