The concept of Worker’s Compensation is pretty simple. If someone is injured on the job, that person should have their medical bills paid and receive a weekly check to replace part of their lost earnings. People being injured while working is certainly not a new problem. Since the dawn of recorded history, various cultures have found different ways in which to compensate injured workers. In the United States, while the concept of providing compensation is simple in theory, Worker’s Compensation has become very complicated in practice.
Each state has developed their own version of Worker’s Compensation. Over the years, new rules and regulations have been put forth by an entrenched bureaucracy. While this is all supposed to be for the benefit of the injured worker, the reality is that the current system has become far too complex. It is a maze of forms, rules and deadlines, written in ‘government-speak’, that is very difficult for an injured worker to deal with.
In Minnesota, as in other states, one of the problems that an injured worker may encounter is receiving necessary treatment. The law specifies that ‘reasonable and necessary’ medical treatment and supplies should be provided. However, the worker may feel that a certain treatment is required that is not approved by Worker’s Comp.
Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs) are evaluations of the worker’s condition by a doctor chosen by the employer or an insurance company. This examination often is crucial to determining the benefits that the injured worker will receive. If the worker does not attend, benefits could be lost. If benefits are denied by the insurance company, the injured worker learns that they have a complicated appeals process to go through. All of this would be very difficult for a healthy person, let alone someone who may be bed-ridden and in pain.
Anyone struggling to obtain the Worker’s Compensation benefits that they are entitled to, needs an experienced lawyer. The lawyers at the law firm of Malone & Atchison in Edina and St. Cloud, MN, have over 50 years of experience in handling Worker’s Comp claims. Each Worker’s Compensation Lawyer in MN focuses on providing the best possible legal representation. The goal of the Worker’s Compensation Lawyer in MN is always to strive for the best outcome possible for the client.
