Minnesota workers’ compensation program exists to help employees who are hurt at work. The objective is to compensate workers for their losses when they get hurt or develop an illness doing what they are supposed to do as part of their employment.
Unfortunately, the system doesn’t always work as well as it should. Even legitimate claims can run into problems for surprising reasons. A denied claim can leave a hardworking employee on their own to deal with the aftermath of their work-related injury or illness. Working with someone with experience handling these claims can often help skirt problems.
Here are three common reasons why your workers’ comp might be denied:
No one witnessed your accident
You will likely have a hard time getting the compensation you deserve for your workplace injury if no one witnessed the accident in the first place. That often sends up a red flag that makes employers question whether an accident really happened at work — or at all.
You failed to report your injury to your employer immediately
Related to witnesses is reporting your injury to the employer. By failing to report your injury in time, your employer and the insurance company might again argue that you did not sustain your injuries at work, or that your injuries were not as serious as you are claiming they are. Furthermore, Minnesota law requires that inform your employer of the injury within 14 days following the accident.
There is a discrepancy between your account and the medical report
Your workers’ compensation claim can also be denied if your account of how the injury happened is inconsistent. If you tell your employer that the accident happened in one way, but give your doctor a totally different account, there may be questions about your credibility. The same applies when your account of an accident conflicts with what witnesses say.
Injuries in the workplace happen all the time. If you are hurt while performing your work-related duties, it is important that you avoid pitfalls that can hurt your case.
