With few exceptions, all Minnesota employers must offer workers’ compensation coverage for their employees. If you have experienced a work-related injury, you may be able to receive payment for medical bills and lost wages as well as other benefits through your employer’s insurance carrier.
Unfortunately, the insurance company may do its best to avoid paying, even if you have a legitimate claim.
1. Report your injury as soon as possible
No matter how minor your injury seems, if it happens on the job, report it to a manager as soon as possible. Even a small injury, such as a sudden pain in your back while twisting or lifting, may lead to a debilitating condition later. The longer you wait to report, the more likely it is the insurance company may try to deny your claim for benefits.
2. Seek medical care early
After a job injury, seek medical treatment as soon as you can. Let your doctor know that the injury was work-related. He or she may be able to bill your employer’s insurance carrier instead of your own. Additionally, by getting treatment early, you create a paper trail that documents the facts of your injury.
3. Do not let denial keep you from benefits
From claims that you did not report soon enough or that there were no witnesses to the injury to allegations that your condition was preexisting, there are many reasons that your employer’s insurance company may try to deny you benefits.
Know that an initial denial is not the end of the road. Workers’ comp exists for a reason: to help employees like you get the help they need. If your claim has been rejected, you have the right to appeal the denial and provide information that may have been missing in your original application.