You told your supervisor about your work injury, but nothing seems to happen. That silence can leave you worried about medical bills, missed paychecks and whether your claim is even moving forward.
A delayed report does not mean you should give up or wait for the problem to fix itself. In Minnesota, there are steps you can take to help create a record and keep the process from stalling.
What the First Report of Injury does
In Minnesota, an employer completes a First Report of Injury (FROI) after learning about a job-related accident or condition.
For a lost-time claim, meaning the injury causes missed work for more than three calendar days, the employer must report the injury to its workers’ compensation insurer within 10 days of the first day of disability or the date the employer learned about the disability, whichever is later. The insurer or self-insured employer must then electronically file the report with the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) within 14 days of the first day of disability or the date the employer became aware of the disability, whichever is later.
Steps to take when workplace reporting stalls
You can take practical steps to document your injury and demonstrate that you reported it.
Helpful steps may include:
- Putting notice in writing and keeping a copy
- Writing down when you gave notice and who received it
- Saving medical records, work restrictions and missed-work dates
- Looking for the insurer’s information on your workplace workers’ compensation posting
- Contacting the insurer or DLI if you cannot confirm that the company filed a report
These steps do not guarantee benefits, but they help show that you acted promptly and gave accurate information about your injury.
Do not let silence stall your claim
Workers’ compensation can already feel slow and confusing. It becomes more stressful when the company does not respond or refuses to take the next step. Keeping records early can help protect your position if questions come up later.
If your report is still being ignored or your benefits are delayed, a legal professional familiar with workers’ compensation can help you understand what information to gather and what options may move the process forward.
