SF3412 Threatens Health Insurance Benefits for Injured First Responders
For over 20 years, Minnesota has provided a vital safety net for police officers and firefighters forced into early retirement due to line-of-duty injuries. These benefits aren’t optional—they’re often the only way injured first responders can access critical medical care. SF3412 threatens to take that away. A bill recently introduced in the Minnesota Legislature—SF3412—is causing […]
What Minnesota Firefighters Need to Know About AFFF, PFAS, and Their Legal Options
By Attorney Lindsey Rowland at Meuser, Yackley & Rowland, P.A. As attorneys representing firefighters throughout Minnesota, we’ve been receiving many questions about multi-district litigation related to Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These lawsuits have gained national attention, and rightly so—PFAS exposure is an occupational safety hazard that has been linked […]
Are You Covered for a Commuting Injury on a Hybrid Work Schedule in Minnesota? Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Law Explained
If you’re injured while commuting under a hybrid or return-to-office schedule, are you covered by Minnesota workers’ compensation? The short answer: maybe. A recent Minnesota Supreme Court decision on one of my cases highlights how complicated these cases can be, especially as more employees split time between home and the office. Minnesota Supreme Court Case: Ludwig v. Dakota County In a recent decision, […]
Life-Saving Work Puts Firefighters at Elevated Risk of Developing Cancer
Firefighters put their lives on the line every day. However, their leading cause of death isn’t directly related to the risk of physical harm inherent to their life-saving work. Surprisingly, cancer is the leading cause of death among career and volunteer firefighters, and research clearly shows that high levels of exposure to carcinogens could be […]
Can I Claim Minnesota Worker’s Compensation Working From Home?
Gone are the days when most Minnesota workers clocked into an office from 9 to 5. Now, 12.7% of full-time employees have embraced the comfort of their homes as their primary work location. Similarly, 28.2% of remote employees work within hybrid business models between the office and home. And with forecasts suggesting that by 2025, […]
What Are My PTSD Treatment Options?
We represent dozens of police officers, firefighters, and other first responders who have developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to work-related traumatic events. PTSD is a serious, sometimes debilitating mental illness that can wreak havoc on a person’s family, social, and work life. Fortunately, things can get better with time and treatment. The “best” type […]
What Happens After a Commercial Truck Accident?
Every year in Minnesota, thousands of people’s lives are dramatically altered due to collisions with commercial vehicles. According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, in 2021 alone, there were 4,120 reported commercial vehicle accidents involving delivery trucks, tractor-trailers, and similar heavy commercial vehicles. Of those, 72 fatalities resulted, and 1,248 people were injured, with […]
A Guide to Light Duty Job Offers for Injured Employees
A common issue in workers’ compensation cases involves work restrictions and light-duty positions. Often, when a worker is injured, they receive work restrictions from their doctor that do not allow them to perform all aspects of their job. An employer often attempts to accommodate these work restrictions by offering a light-duty job. If an injured […]
In Pursuit of Justice: A Primer on Minnesota Wrongful Death Settlements and Lawsuits
The grief and heartache of losing a loved one in an unexpected, preventable incident are unparalleled. Beyond the profound emotional toll, this tragic event often comes with significant financial challenges and many unanswered questions. In legal terms, wrongful death is a death that the negligence, carelessness, or intentional actions of another party have caused. It’s […]
What Are Claim Petitions?
Under the Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Act, you may be given the false perception that any injury you sustain while in the course and scope of your occupation will be automatically accepted by the employer and/or insurer. Unfortunately, that is false. An employer’s insurer will deny a claim if it disagrees with an injured worker about […]