The Different Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Minnesota

Medical Benefits

The first benefit type is the most obvious one: medical benefits. When you are injured, you will eventually owe money to doctors, specialists, pharmacies, hospitals, therapists and clinics. Medical benefits include extras such as mileage to and from treatment, medications and medical equipment, and other out-of-pocket expenses. It can also include modifications you make to your home or car, such as a wheelchair ramp.

Rehabilitation Costs

The next benefit is the cost of rehabilitation. If you are no longer able to work at your job because of an injury, you may be entitled to medical management and vocational assistance. Workers’ comp will pay for a qualified rehabilitative consultant, who can ensure that your work duties fall within your range of restrictions or help you find a job that does fit within your restrictions.

In addition to these injury benefits, workers’ comp provides four levels of disability benefits:

Temporary Total Disability Benefits (TTD)

Temporary total disability (TTD) benefits are wage loss benefits you are entitled to receive if you are not working at all because of your work injury. You are paid two-thirds of your average weekly wage at the time of injury.

Temporary Partial Disability Benefits (TPD)

If you are injured and still able to work with restrictions, but are earning less than what you were before your work injury, then you could be entitled to temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits. For example, if you were able to work eight hours per day prior to your work injury, but only four hours per day afterward, you could be entitled to TPD benefits. TPD benefits are computed by subtracting your post-injury earnings from your average weekly wage and multiplying it by two-thirds.

Permanent Partial Disability Benefits (PPD)

If your workers’ compensation injury is permanent, you could be entitled to permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits. This is typically determined by a doctor who gives you a PPD rating based upon the relevant Minnesota rule. You could be paid either in a lump sum or weekly based upon your average weekly wage.

Permanent Total Disability Benefits (PTD)

You could be entitled to permanent total disability (PTD) benefits if, based upon your physical disability, in combination with your age, education, training and experience, you are unable to secure anything more than sporadic employment at an insubstantial income. Minn. Stat. 176.101, subp. 5.

If you are permanently totally disabled, then you could most likely also be entitled to Social Security Disability Income (SSDI). Because Baehman Fitzgerald of St. Paul also handles SSDI claims, we can assist you in recovering SSDI benefits.

Injured on the job? You need to know what types of benefits you are entitled to. In the Twin Cities east metro area, contact the workers’ compensation lawyers at Baehman Fitzgerald. Our attorneys will explain everything to you.