If you are injured on the job or become sick because of your work, you may be able to file a workers’ comp claim so you can receive benefits. Workers’ comp is a state mandated insurance program which provides compensation to employees who are injured or made ill on the job. Those that are eligible and whose claims are approved receive compensation for lost wages, medical benefits, and vocational rehabilitation benefits in exchange for forfeiting the right to sue the employer.
While this may seem simple, it can be quite complicated. That is why you may need a Minneapolis work comp attorney to help you with the legalities and act on your behalf. This will help the process move smoother for you and also make it less stressful.
Eligibility Requirements
There are three main eligibility requirements a person needs to meet in order to receive workers’ comp benefits:
- The company or person you were working for must be legally required to carry workers’ compensation insurance and they must be insured.
- You must be an employee of the company or person and not a contractor.
- Your illness or injury must be work-related.
Even if you meet these requirements, you may still not qualify for benefits. There are certain groups of workers that don’t qualify. The most common of those are domestic workers, such as babysitters and housekeepers because they work in homes. Farm and agricultural workers don’t qualify, nor do seasonal, leased or loaned, and undocumented workers. All others, even if part of a union, may quality to file a workers’ comp claim.
Determining Your Eligibility
Your Minneapolis work comp attorney will review your eligibility and, if eligible, will move forward with the filing of your case on your behalf. By having an attorney take care of the paperwork, you know the information is being prepared the right way. It is possible that the insurance company will still find something they want to know more about, but your attorney will be by your side throughout the entire process.
Contact A Minneapolis Work Comp Attorney
When you are injured on the job, one of the first things you may be wondering is whether or not you qualify to file a workers’ comp claim. This is a good question since there are restrictions on who can file, such as contracted workers that are self-employed not being able to file a claim with the insurance company of the business they are working for. If you have been injured on the job, the best way to find out if you are eligible is to talk to a qualified attorney. To learn more, call Fishman, Carp, Bescheinen & Van Berkom, LTD at 952-546-6000 to schedule a free consultation.