The Law Office of Gretchen Hall

Free Consultation: 651-371-6008

The Law Office of Gretchen Hall

Free Consultations: 651-371-6008

More Than 20 Years Of Experience Standing Up For Minnesota Workers

Experienced St. Paul Workers’ Compensation Claim Attorney Pursuing Benefits For You

Last updated on June 4, 2024

If you were injured in a workplace accident or developed a disease from your working conditions, you need to understand your rights under the workers’ compensation system. First and foremost, you have the right to benefits that can help you move forward with your life. Unfortunately, you may be faced with denial or cutoff of those benefits, delays, underpayments, tangles involving medical care or other issues. Do not give up. Help is here.

At The Law Office of Gretchen Hall in St. Paul, workers’ compensation claim attorney Gretchen Hall and her team of skilled legal professionals provide compassionate guidance and zealous representation to help injured workers gain full benefits. If you have been injured at work, denied benefits or are unable to collect the compensation that you deserve, we can help.

For your free consultation, call 651-371-6008.

What Is Minnesota’s Workers’ Compensation Law?

Chapter 176 of the Minnesota Statutes is the state’s workers’ compensation law. The law states that, with very few exceptions, every employer is responsible for paying compensation to any employee who suffers injury or death arising out of and during the course of their work duties, regardless of the question of negligence.

Who Oversees Minnesota’s Workers’ Compensation System?

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) is the government organization that oversees and administers the workers’ compensation system, and ensures that Minnesota’s workers’ compensation rules are followed by employers. Initial decisions about workers’ compensation claims are made by this organization.

When the outcome of a workers’ compensation claim is disputed, it may proceed to the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). In the Twin Cities area, these hearings are held at the OAH building at 600 Robert St N, St Paul, MN 55101.

The Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals (WCCA) reviews decisions made by the OAH and, in some instances, may directly review decisions made by the DLI. The WCCA is located in the Minnesota Judicial Center at 690 Cedar St, St Paul, MN 55155.

Further disputes may continue to the Minnesota Supreme Court. Ultimately though, all of these organizations must follow the workers’ compensation rules laid out in Chapter 176. We know the law and bring decades of experience to navigating all stages of this process.

How Much Are Workers’ Compensation Payouts In Minnesota?

The average workers’ compensation award is around $400 per worker, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Keep in mind that this average includes all work injuries suffered by employees statewide and there are many more minor injuries than there are serious injuries, which is why the dollar amount may seem low. Ultimately, workers’ compensation is meant to cover all costs associated with your work injury, whether the injury is minor or serious.

First of all, workers’ compensation covers all reasonable medical expenses related to a work injury. That means doctor appointments, X-rays, tests, physical therapy, surgeries and more. It also includes things like the cost of travel to medical appointments. When workers’ compensation does what it is supposed to do, the injured worker should not be left footing any portion of the bill for their medical care related to the workplace injury.

The amount of workers’ compensation you get for lost wages will depend on the extent of the injury and the amount of time missed at work. In most cases, you will be paid 2/3rds of your average weekly wage for any hours that you were unable to go to your job due to an injury. If you suffered a permanent disability due to the work injury, you may also be entitled to payment based on the degree of the impairment.

Our attorney’s goal is to make certain you get all the workers’ compensation claim benefits you are entitled to under Chapter 176. This includes:

How Long Can You Be On Workers’ Compensation In Minnesota?

Workers’ compensation benefits are intended to last for the duration of the healing process. If the injury is temporary, wage benefits will continue until you are able to return to work or until a doctor has deemed that you have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI). If the injury is permanent, there may be longer duration benefits available, possibly lasting until retirement age, depending on the degree of the impairment. In any case, coverage of reasonable and necessary medical expenses will continue as long as they are required.

This is where many workers’ compensation disputes arise. An injured worker may be told that they should return to work or that they have reached MMI, but they do not feel that is the case. A second opinion from another doctor may be crucial in these cases, and an experienced attorney can help.

Denied or cut off? We will fight to overcome it. Getting the runaround? We will help to get the process back on track. Benefits too low to cover everything? We will strive to get you what you deserve. Our St. Paul workers’ compensation claim lawyer will put her experience to work for you.

20 Years of Experience. Let Our Workers’ Compensation Claim Lawyer Fight For You!

Workers’ compensation law is always changing. Because our St. Paul workers’ compensation claim law firm solely practices this area of law, we are able to stay ahead of the changes.

We are prepared to work hard to overcome denials or cutoffs and get benefits, whether we are representing nurses who have been exposed to infectious diseases, police and first responders who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from events seen in the line of duty, meatpacking plant or factory workers hurt by workplace machinery, restaurant workers diagnosed with repetitive stress injuries, or anyone else who works hard and has been hurt on the job.

Sometimes it can seem as though employers and workers’ compensation insurance companies default to denials, especially when they think that something is unclear. Often these are not cut and dried situations of an accident taking place at work and causing an obvious injury. Yes, there are certainly many cases when a forklift hurts someone or a hand is caught in a piece of machinery, but there are also cases where an employee gets sick and the question may come up: “Can you prove you got sick at work?” Similarly, repetitive motion injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome in wrists, knees, shoulders or elsewhere may be denied on the basis that the employer or insurance company does not believe it was caused by work.

Having decades of experience on our side means we know how to push back in even the most challenging cases to see that injured employees are not left with huge medical bills and other costs because of on-the-job injuries.

Answers to frequently asked questions about workers’ compensation.

Don’t Let Your Workers’ Compensation Claim Be Denied. Contact Us Today For A Free Consultation

Whether you just have a question or are ready to move forward, we encourage you to contact us as soon as possible for a free consultation. It is best to bring workers’ compensation claims promptly, to avoid giving the other side any reason to issue a denial. Lawyer Gretchen Hall has over 20 years of experience fighting for employees’ rights to workers’ compensation benefits. Between her skill, experience and unique insight into insurance defense strategies, she uses every advantage at her disposal for our clients’ benefit.

Call our St. Paul workers’ compensation claim law office at 651-371-6008, or email our firm online.