To offer a different perspective on the topic of claim adjusters, we turned to our Legal Analyst with the firm, Vanessa Washington. Vanessa has extensive experience in the insurance industry with a focus on workers’ compensation. Vanessa’s primary role with Meuser, Yackley & Rowland, P.A. is to support the attorneys by analyzing the value of each case, providing case law research, and facilitating negotiations.

As a former claim adjuster, I can tell you not all claim adjusters are bad people. They are there to help you as best they can. There are ways that you can help your claim progress more smoothly.

Forward by Ron Meuser, Jr.

Jen Yackley & I originally met with Dana (who wrote the story below), her husband Ed & his service dog Rex to hear their story and learn how I can help. They founded an organization called Solder’s 6 whose mission is to provide honorably discharged veterans, police officers, and firefighters with specially trained K-9 dogs. The support they provide these brave individuals is nothing short of amazing and, unfortunately, very needed. We hear from our police officer & firefighter clients with PTSD that the suffering doesn’t end when the job is over and many don’t want the job to end. Dana and Ed’s story is very real, heartbreaking, and a reminder that we must be continuously supportive in any way we can.  Please join Meuser, Yackley & Rowland, P.A. in supporting this worthy organization by going to https://www.soldiers6.com/how-can-i-help.

In order to qualify for Duty Disability benefits under the PERA Police and Fire Plan or the PERA Correctional Plan, a police officer, firefighter, or corrections officer will need to demonstrate that he or she has a condition that is expected to prevent him or her from performing the normal duties of the position for a period of not less than 12 months as a direct result of an injury incurred during the performance of inherently dangerous duties that are specific to the position. See Minn. Stat. § 353.01, subd indegenerique.be. 41 and Minn. Stat. § 353E.001, subd, 1.

Police officers pay into the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA). PERA offers a number of benefits to police officers who pay into PERA, one of which is a regular retirement pension. Under PERA once an officer reaches age 55 with at least 20 years of service they are eligible for a full pension which is 60% of their high five. While an officer can consider an early retirement starting at age 50 there can be significant penalties or other limitations on the benefits they would receive. In short, whether an officer works for Minneapolis, St. Paul or another department, retiring under PERA is simply not an option for many of Minnesota’s police officers.