What Are Claim Petitions?

A man has a meeting over the phone at a shared conference table.

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 […]

Minnesota Independent Medical Examination (IME) Process: What You Need to Know

Doctor in blue scrubs measuring the blood pressure of a patient

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 […]

What is a Worker’s Comp Deposition?

In workers’ compensation claims, one significant factor that can significantly influence the outcome is injured employees’ depositions: recorded, out-of-court testimonies given by a witness under oath. During a worker’s compensation deposition, the injured worker will be asked to provide their account of the incident, details of their injuries, and any relevant information that can help […]

Properly Filing a First Report of Injury

A Stack of Neatly Sorted Paper Files Sitting on a Table.

Hi, I’m Jen Yackley, Partner and Attorney with Meuser, Yackley & Rowland, P.A., and I’m here to talk to you today about filing first reports of injury when you’ve sustained a work-related injury. I’m going to delve a little deeper into this topic because there are a couple of types of claims where you have […]

How Long Does My Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Case Stay Open?

Blurred focus photo of a gavel in front of a plain-clothes judge working on a laptop computer

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 […]

State Highway Patrol Officers Face Greater Risk

A state trooper stops to assist a silver sedan that has gone off the road during inclement winter weather.

Winter is here. Unfortunately, winter weather conditions bring increased risk to State Highway Patrol Officers. The number of motor vehicle collisions involving State Highway Patrol Officers has risen in the last several years. A quick sampling of your colleagues will reveal that a significant number have been involved in collisions during their career, many of […]

The Increased Risk of Heart Conditions in Law Enforcement Officers

An NYPD police officer appears concerned while standing on the city streets.

It is well documented that law enforcement officers have a higher risk than the general public of developing certain occupational diseases such as Covid-19, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and certain heart conditions. The Minnesota legislature recognized this increased risk and enacted laws that presume that these conditions are work-related and presume that the officer (or […]

Choosing Between Duty Disability Benefits and Retirement Benefits

Lindsey Rowland looks into the camera and speaks.

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 […]

Repetitive Injuries Common in Patrol Officers

A police officer and his duty belt holding a radio, handcuffs, and a holster and pistol.

As you are aware, patrol officers spend large amounts of time performing duties within their cruiser and are required to wear duty belts and vests that cause a high prevalence of musculoskeletal problems over time. These repetitive type injuries occur as a result of the culmination of forces inflicted by the required equipment as well […]