There are several different types of benefits available in Minnesota for injured workers. These are state-mandated benefits by the Legislature that are set forth in the Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Act. The main Minnesota workmans comp benefits are as follows:
Medical Benefits
Workers who suffer a work-related injury may receive medical treatment and their employer and its workers’ compensation insurer must pay for it. There are two requirements for this treatment: (1) the medical treatment must be reasonable and necessary to treat he employee’s conditions; and (2) the medical treatment must be causally related to the work injury. As long as these two conditions are met, employees have a right to choose a doctor to treat them. Employees do not have to treat with a doctor who the workers’ compensation insurance company designates.
Wage Benefits
There are three types of wage loss benefits under the Minnesota Worker Comp Act:
• Temporary Total Disability
Employees who are completely unable to work because of a work injury are entitled to Temporary Total Disability (“TTD”) payments. This amount is calculated based on the employee’s average weekly gross wages from the 26 weeks prior to the work injury. The payment amount is 2/3 of this average weekly wage, and it is capped at $750 per week for injuries that occurred October 1, 2000 to September 30, 2008, and $850 per week for injuries that occur on or after October 1, 2008.
• Temporary Partial Disability
Employees who are able to work—but not as much or at a lesser paying position—are entitled to Temporary Partial Disability (“TPD”) payments. This amount is also calculated based on the employee’s average weekly gross wage for the 26 weeks prior to the injury. The compensation rate is 2/3 of the difference between what the employee earned at the time of the work injury, and what the employee is earning at the lesser paying job.
• Permanent Total Disability
Permanent Total Disability (“PTD”) benefits are available for workers who cannot work at anything other than sporadic employment. There are several requirements to meet this standard, though, which are complex and require expert medical and vocational opinions to meet. In cases where an employee suffers from a permanent and total disability, in addition to paying benefits to the employee, the employer must pay for the reasonable value of nursing services provided by a member of the employee’s family.
Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits
Vocational rehabilitation benefits are available under the Minnesota Workers Compensation Act. These benefits include an initial consultation with Qualified Rehabilitation Consultant (“QRC”). And, for employees who are eligible for rehabilitation benefits, medical case management from the QRC (the QRC comes to your doctor appointments and clarifies work restrictions), job search assistance from the QRC if the employee is not able to return to the same employer after an injury, and, for some employees, retraining benefits if they are not able to return to the same profession. If you have any questions regarding Minnesota disability benefits please contact us and a Minnesota workers compensation lawyer with Fields Law Firm can help.