A transportation accident can cause serious injury, leaving you with substantial costs for medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation expenses, and more. If you have been involved in a transportation accident while working, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits to help you with these and other accident-related expenses.
An experienced Minnesota transportation accident lawyer can oversee all aspects of your workers’ compensation claim to help you pursue the benefits that you need. To learn more about how we can help you, contact Robert Wilson & Associates today by calling 612-334-3444.
Transportation Accident Practice Areas
Many workers have to travel as part of their jobs or for business trips. Delivery persons, transportation industry workers, emergency workers, and business professionals are just some of the workers who may be involved in a transportation accident. If you are involved in any of the following accidents while working on the job or while traveling for business, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation:
- Auto accident
- Bus accident
- Train accident
- Aviation accident
- Bicycling accident
- Pedestrian accident
Transportation Accidents And Workers’ Compensation
Whether you are a delivery or truck driver, a police or medical first responder, or you travel as part of your job, you may qualify for benefits in the event of an accident on the road. Generally, an accident during a commute to or from work isn’t covered because you aren’t considered to be on the job. There are exceptions, however. If you’re driving a vehicle provided by your company, your employer reimburses you for travel expenses, or you’re driving between work sites, you may be eligible for benefits after such an accident.
If your accident renders you completely unable to work, you may qualify for Temporary Total Disability, or TTD. These benefits last until you are able to return to work, or 90 days after your doctor determines your injury has reached maximum improvement (MMI), or until you hit the benefits time limit for TTD, which is 130 weeks. If you are in a retraining program, the benefits may continue beyond the 130 weeks.
TPD, or Temporary Partial Disability, is available if your injury doesn’t completely stop you from working. TPD benefits last until you’ve received benefits for 250 weeks, or until 450 weeks have passed since your accident occurs, whichever comes first.
Once you have reached MMI in your recovery, your doctor assigns you a disability rating, which may qualify you for Permanent Partial Disability or, in severe cases, Permanent Total Disability benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your lawyer is the best source for information about your workers’ comp case, but these answers might help with some of the questions you have right now.
If I Collect Workers’ Comp Benefits, Can I Sue For Negligence?
Minnesota law doesn’t allow an employee to collect workers’ compensation and sue their employer for negligence. Workers’ comp in this state is a no-fault system in which negligence is not considered on the part of the employer or the employee.
If a third party was responsible for your accident, however, you may be able to sue them or their insurance company. For example, if you were driving to make a delivery and were hit by a negligent driver, you may qualify for workers’ compensation for being injured on the job in addition to being able to file a claim or a lawsuit against the other driver’s insurance company.
What Should I Do After An Accident?
It’s important to seek medical treatment immediately. Even if you don’t think you were injured, you may be suffering from hidden injuries that won’t manifest until later. Besides, you will need documentation of your injuries to make a workers’ compensation claim. As soon as possible, you need to report your injury to your employer.
Can I Use My Own Doctor?
Employees may see their own health care provider after an accident, although your employer may require you to receive treatment from their own designated provider in certain circumstances, such as when there is a managed care plan or collective bargaining agreement in place. Under Minnesota law, your employer must provide you with medical treatment, including psychiatric, chiropractic, surgical, and hospital treatment.
Workers’ Compensation Is Critical To Your Recovery
Medical bills and related costs from a transportation accident can easily add up to thousands of dollars. Without workers’ comp benefits, you could be left struggling with these substantial costs on your own. Our Minnesota transportation accident lawyers understand how important workers’ compensation benefits are for paying your medical bills and offsetting lost wages from time off work, and we are committed to helping you pursue the benefits that you need.
Contact Us
For sound legal advice and assistance regarding your transportation accident and workers’ compensation claim, contact a Minnesota transportation accident attorney at Robert Wilson & Associates today at 612-334-3444.