What happens when a worker accidentally hurts themselves?

Work injuries can have numerous different underlying causes. Some people get hurt because a critical piece of equipment malfunctions or breaks. Other people end up hurt because of something that a coworker did or failed to do. Even a crime committed by a visitor could lead to someone’s injury while on the clock.

Oftentimes, Minnesota workers feel confident about filing a workers’ compensation claim when they know that something their employer or a co-worker did is the underlying reason for their injury. However, that confidence might essentially disappear when a worker knows that they are the party to blame for their injury.

Employees may have heard that causing an injury makes them ineligible for benefits. Can a worker still qualify for workers’ compensation coverage when their own actions are the reason for their injury?

Benefits are available on a no-fault basis

If Minnesota workers’ compensation provided fault-based coverage, many employees might have more reservations about taking high-risk jobs. After all, an incident at work could leave them forever unable to support themselves and their families.

All it takes is a moment of distraction for someone in a busy kitchen to burn or cut themselves. Workers in a factory could slip or make a timing mistake, resulting in broken bones or possibly even a traumatic amputation. Fault-based workers’ compensation insurance would effectively pit an injured worker against their employer and create a very limited system for worker protection.

The Minnesota workers’ compensation system provides no-fault coverage for anyone injured while at work or diagnosed with a job-acquired medical condition. Even if a worker made a mistake that directly contributed to their injury, they could still potentially the eligible for benefits. Workers’ compensation coverage can reimburse someone for some of the wages they lose if they require time away from work. Minnesota workers’ compensation can also provide full coverage for necessary medical treatment for a job-acquired health issue.

Employees with potentially expensive medical issues stemming from their work arrangements can generally feel confident when filing a claim for disability or medical benefits regardless of whether their employer could partially blame them for the situation or not. Learning more about the rules for workers’ compensation benefits in Minnesota may help people when they need support after acquiring a work injury.