Minnesota State Highway Patrol Duty Disability Basics
As a State Highway Patrol Officer, you have agreed to serve your community and perform duties that are considered inherently dangerous. If through your dedicated service to the community you sustain an injury or illness that was incurred while performing these inherently dangerous duties specific to a State Highway Patrol Officer you may be eligible […]
Basic Items Needed When Filing for PERA
In addition to workers’ compensation benefits, injured police officers, firefighters, and corrections officers may be eligible for significant retirement and disability benefits, and more under the Minnesota Public Employee’s Retirement Association (PERA). To address some frequently asked questions, Meuser, Yackley & Rowland attorney, Katie Ebnet, provides some basic information and documentation required when filing for […]
Minnesota Work Comp Benefits Are Non-Taxable
The filing deadline for the 2021 tax year is April 18, 2022. With tax season upon us, you may wonder if you will be obligated to report Minnesota workers’ compensation wage loss, permanent partial disability, or a settlement received in 2021. The answer is no, you are not required to pay income taxes on your […]
How Work-Related PTSD or Other Mental Health Issues Can Interfere with Job Performance
I’m here today to chat about a difficult topic that comes up all too frequently, and that is with regards to cases that involve mental health issues and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) amongst law enforcement or firefighters where the person has found themselves in a disciplinary issue. This, unfortunately, arises all too commonly when someone […]
Minnesota Corrections Association Annual Training Institute
I am proud to have represented Meuser, Yackley & Rowland, P.A. at this year’s MCA Annual Training Institute, hosted by Grandview Lodge in Nisswa, Minnesota. The Minnesota Corrections Association (MCA) was founded in 1933 and works tirelessly to promote the “Professional development of individuals working in all aspects of the corrections field and to promote […]
Applying for Duty Disability and Social Security Benefits
Some first responders have the ability to apply for both PERA or MSRS Duty Disability benefits and Social Security benefits. There are different criteria for these different types of benefits and you may be eligible for both depending on how many years of service you’ve contributed into both plans. It is important to remember that […]
My Journey
Special feature by John Nordberg, former agent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and client of Meuser, Yackley & Rowland. I’m not sure when PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) started to creep into my life, however, I know when I began to realize something was wrong. Looking back two, maybe three, years before I found […]
Thinking About Quitting? Think Again.
Injured workers often ask, “If I cannot do my job, because of my work injury, should I just quit?” This is a trick question. Workers’ compensation provides wage-loss benefits for injured workers, who are unable to return to suitable gainful employment as a result of their work-related injuries. But, if you quit your job, then […]
The Option to Medical Out Instead of Retiring Under PERA
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% […]
Managed Medical Review Organization
As part of the PERA application process, your application gets submitted to Managed Medical Review Organization (MMRO). They are a third-party company that PERA contracts with to review all of your medical records with them. Once they receive your application, they will review your medical records, and determine whether or not you sustained a […]