Minnesota Independent Medical Examination (IME) Process: What You Need to Know
Minnesota Independent Medical Examination Process: What You Need to Know In Minnesota, as in many other states, one necessary part of the process for claiming wage loss benefits is the independent medical examination (IME). An IME impacts the outcome of your workers’ compensation claim, so an injured employee must understand what it entails and how […]
How Long Does My Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Case Stay Open?
Are you wondering, “How long does my Minnesota workers’ compensation stay open?” Sometimes, employers or insurers will tell you your case is closed to get you to abandon your claim for wage-loss benefits or to submit your medical bills and costs through your major medical health insurance company. They do this to save money on […]
Choosing Between Duty Disability Benefits and Retirement Benefits
If you are injured on duty and you’re close to retirement age, you may be trying to decide whether or not to pursue a retirement benefit or a Duty Disability benefit. We can help you with that process. There are many different benefits that you may be entitled to, including workers’ compensation and PERA/MSRS Duty […]
The Pitfalls of the Proposed PTSD Legislation
Mental health concerns, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are endemic among law enforcement officers, firefighters, and correctional officers. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “[l]aw enforcement officers and firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.”[1] Unfortunately, mental health concerns among first responders are often […]
Contingency Fees in a Worker’s Compensation Claim
All work comp attorneys in the state of Minnesota are paid in the same way. Workers’ compensation fees in the state of Minnesota are what’s called contingency fees. That means attorneys are only paid if they help you recover benefits. If you don’t recover benefits, the attorney doesn’t get paid. If the attorney does help […]
Meuser, Yackley & Rowland Secure Significant Court Win for First Responders with PTSD
In 2018, the Minnesota legislature unanimously passed the PTSD presumption, Minnesota Statutes §176.011, subdivision 15(e). Recognizing the significant traumas that first responders are exposed to while protecting and serving our communities, the Minnesota legislature sought to make it easier for first responders diagnosed with work-related PTSD to access potentially life-saving mental health care, and other […]
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 […]
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 […]
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Police Officers
On January 1, 2019, a new law went into effect that may drastically change the way work-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) claims are handled in Minnesota. For PTSD injuries that occur on or after January 1, 2019, there is a presumption for first responders that their PTSD is work-related. The PTSD presumption applies to licensed police officers, […]
Are Minnesota Nurses Who Contract Coronavirus Eligible for Workers’ Compensation?
As Coronavirus-related restrictions phase-out, more Minnesotans, including a significant number of healthcare workers, including nurses, are contracting Coronavirus (COVID-19). In fact, on May 20, 2020, the Star Tribune reported that “health care workers constitute 1,949 of Minnesota’s 17,029 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19.” [1] Minnesota nurses, from Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) in Minneapolis to St. […]
