Injured At Work? Our Rochester Workers Compensation Lawyers Are Prepared To Advocate For You
Minnesota workers’ compensation laws were designed to allow swift payment of wage loss and medical benefits to injured workers to enable a safe and timely return to work. Unfortunately, insurance companies handling workers’ compensation claims do not always play by the rules, and delay in making wage loss payments and approving medical care or simply deny benefits you are entitled to under the law. Without a doubt, this causes stress and chaos to the injured workers, prolongs the healing period and often times leaves them feeling utterly hopeless.
Attorney Andrea B. Niesen will guide you through this process and ensure that your best interests are aggressively represented in securing the workers’ compensation benefits you are entitled to under the law. The Klampe Law Firm LLC has assisted thousands of injured workers throughout Minnesota who have placed their trust in us.
It Never Costs Anything to Talk to Our Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Consultations to discuss your case, either by phone or in person are always free of charge. There are never out-of-pocket fees for you to retain an attorney to represent you in your workers’ compensation claim. Attorney fees in a workers’ compensation matter are contingent upon us securing denied benefits or negotiating a settlement on your behalf.
The Experience You Need to Get the Benefits You Deserve
Andrea B. Niesen is our firm’s primary workers’ compensation attorney. With her experience representing injured workers, Andrea makes a world of difference in guiding you through the workers’ compensation process.
We will work closely with you as we help you recover all available benefits, which can include:
- Wage loss benefits, paid on a temporary or permanent basis, depending on the severity of the injury
- Medical benefits, including mileage reimbursement to medical appointments, prescriptions and medical devices needed for your injury
- Vocational rehabilitation benefits, including management of your medical needs and work restrictions to work, job placement assistance, and retraining
Klampe Law Firm LLC has a comprehensive understanding of the legal standards, the procedural obstacles and the medical issues in a workers’ compensation claim and will use that knowledge to aggressively represent you in your claim. At Klampe Law Firm LLC, we strongly encourage anyone who has sustained a workplace injury to discuss your case with us as soon as possible after your injury. Whether the employer or insurer has accepted or denied your claim, we can assist you in the process and evaluate your options to secure all benefits.
What qualifies me for workers’ compensation benefits in Rochester, Minnesota?
Any employee who sustains a personal injury arising out of and in the course of employment is entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. The Minnesota workers’ compensation laws are a no-fault system, meaning that the employee does not need to prove the employer’s negligence caused the injury and the employer cannot deny the claim even if the employee’s own negligence caused the injury.
Contact Klampe Law Firm LLC, Today for a Free Consultation
After seeking medical attention, your next step after a work accident should be to call Rochester workers’ compensation attorney Andrea B. Niesen at 507-405-2188 or email our law firm to set up your free initial consultation.
Common Questions About Rochester Workers’ Compensation
What types of injuries are covered in a workers’ compensation claim?
Personal injury or occupational illness or disease arising out of and in the course and scope of employment, including:
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- Traumatic injuries
- Non-traumatic injuries resulting from repetitive movements or over-use of a body part from work activities
- Pre-existing conditions or prior injuries that are substantially aggravated or accelerated by work activities
- Employer or employee’s fault in causing the injury (with limited exceptions) has no relation on the work injury claim; in other words, your fault in causing your injury cannot be used to deny or limit your claim
Do I need a workers’ compensation attorney and what will it cost?
Yes. Regardless of whether your work injury claim has been accepted or denied, you will need an attorney to assist you in navigating the claim process. Attorney Andrea B. Niesen will advocate on your behalf for your legal rights. Workers’ compensation laws are complex and frequently change. You need an attorney to best represent your interests and maximize the benefits you are entitled to under the law.
Attorney fees in workers’ compensation claims are paid on a contingent fee basis, meaning fees are only paid if you receive an award of denied benefits or negotiated settlement of compensation benefits. Attorney fees are paid on genuinely disputed benefits or settlements. Attorneys representing injured employees in a workers’ compensation claim cannot charge hourly fees or require a monetary retainer. A court may order the employer or insurance company to pay the employee’s attorney’s fee in disputes involving medical or vocational rehabilitation benefits.
What do I do when the insurance company tells me it closed my file and will not pay for any more medical treatment for my injury?
You are entitled to claim medical benefits under workers’ compensation as long as the treatment is “reasonable and necessary and casually related to your injury.” There is no cut-off in an admitted claim for medical benefits. Even if the insurance company claims to close your file, your rights under the law allow you to claim these expenses and challenge any denial by the insurance company. Contact our workers’ compensation attorney to discuss challenging the insurance company’s denial of medical treatment for your injury.
What workers’ compensation benefits can I receive?
I. WAGE LOSS – “INDEMNITY” BENEFITS
- Temporary Total Disability (TTD)
Treater takes off of work completely; or has restrictions that ER will not accommodate; restrictions and layoff; restrictions and terminated2/3 of average weekly wage = compensation rate. Duration: 130 weeks (post 10/08 DOI)
Cut-off: MMI – 90 days post - Temporary Partial Disability (TPD)
Working at a wage loss (less hours; less pay) with same or new ER2/3 difference of post-injury earnings and DOI earnings = TP benefit. Duration: 275 weeks (approx. 5 years 4 months) (225 weeks for pre 01/01/19 DOI)
Cut-off: 450 weeks (approx. 8 years 6 months) - Permanent Partial Disability (PPD)
Percentage of functional loss of the injured body part
Assessment made according to MN Workers’ Compensation disability schedule
Percentage multiplied by schedule factor
One time monetary payment - Permanent Total Disability (PTD)
Employee found to be vocationally and medical unable to perform meaningful work with no potential earning capacity. Weekly payment of full compensation rate (2/3 of average weekly wage). Duration: paid until the presumed age of retirement, age 67; or possibly shorter or longer time period as long as employee remains permanent and totally disabled. PPD Thresholds must be met to be PTD:
a. at least 17 %
b. at least 15% and is 50 y.o. at DOI
c. at least 13% and 55 y.o. at DOI and no HS degree or GED
II. MEDICAL BENEFITS
Duration: no cut off date; as long as treatment is reasonable and necessary to cure and relieve the effects of the work injury
Prescription, medical device, nursing, home health care, transportation expenses
Mileage reimbursement round trip to medical appointments
III. VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
- Qualified rehabilitation consultant (QRC)
- Job placement services
- Retraining
Can I file a workers’ compensation claim if I am a part-time employee?
The number of hours the employee was working at the time of the injury does not determine eligibility to benefits. A part-time employee is eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. The wage or indemnity benefits will be calculated based on the employee’s average weekly wage. Therefore, a part-time employee’s wage supplementation may be less than full-time equivalent wages, but a part-time employee is still entitled to full medical and vocational rehabilitation benefits.
What are death and dependency benefits, and who is eligible for them?
Some work injuries result in the employee’s death. Where an employee sustains injuries arising out of and in the course of employment which result in death, the dependents of the employee are entitled to certain benefits. Those benefits include unpaid medical expenses and permanent partial disability, burial expenses, and dependency benefits the amount of which is calculated based on the number of the employee’s dependents at the time of death.
Contact Klampe Law Firm LLC
Call workers’ compensation attorney Andrea B. Niesen at 507-405-2188 or email us to set up your free initial consultation.