A common issue we see in workers’ compensation cases involve work restrictions and light duty. Often, when a worker is injured that individual receives work restrictions from their doctor that does not allow them to perform all aspects of their job. Many times an employer will attempt to accommodate these work restrictions by offering a light duty role.

To offer a different perspective on the subject of indemnity benefits, 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.

Indemnity benefits are monetary payments you may be entitled to receive as compensation for lost wages or damages related to your workers’ compensation claim.

Words matter. Especially, when it comes to your workers’ compensation case. Meuser, Yackley & Rowland, P.A. represent hundreds of Police Officers, State Troopers, Deputy Sheriffs, Firefighters, Corrections Officers, EMTs, and other first responders who “medical out” – meaning, they leave their former careers behind, in order to accept PERA or MSRS in-the-line-of-duty disability benefits.

Quite often Minnesota police officers with serious on-duty injuries wait to speak with a lawyer until they’re dealing with a legal mess. What I hear from these individuals is since they assumed that they had a “legitimate” injury, they didn’t think they needed a lawyer. Or they assumed their department would take care of them – until they were terminated. Or, since the workers’ compensation insurer was paying, that they didn’t need an attorney – until the workers’ compensation insurer stopped paying benefits. Or, that their friend went through the process and has been giving them some “guidance” on how to navigate the system.