Nobody wants to injure themselves at work, but sometimes we are our own worst enemy. You’d be amazed at just how many people are directly responsible for their own work injury, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get compensated under Minnesota law. Today, we explain why you can still seek damages even if you are at fault for your work injury, and we share some exceptions to that law.
Caused My Own Work Injury
People cause their own work injuries all the time – it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Just because you caused your own injury or you are embarrassed about the circumstances of an injury doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek compensation. Under Minnesota law, you are entitled to an injury compensation claim even if you are 100 percent at fault for your injuries.
For example, let’s say you are up on a ladder hanging electrical wire. Instead of getting down and moving the ladder to a more appropriate spot, you try to reach out and secure the wire from your current location. As you stretch, you lose your balance, fall to the ground and injure your hip. You were directly at fault for your injury, but Minnesota law states that you can receive compensation for that injury. Whether you were fully at fault, partially at fault or injured through no fault of your own, you can seek injury benefits.
Exceptions To The Rule
While Minnesota law provides you with numerous protections, there are some factors that can strip you of your rights to file for compensation. If any of these factors are present, you won’t have your injury claim granted.
Alcohol or Drugs – If you are found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the injury, your compensation claim may be denied. If it comes out that you were under the influence at the time of the injury, the burden of proof is now on you to prove that your intoxication did not play a role in your injury. It is still possible to earn compensation if you were under the influence, but’s it’s not easy.
Intentional – This isn’t always easy to prove, but if a security camera catches you intentionally dropping a heavy object on your foot, your compensation claim will be denied. You may be able to argue that job stress led you to intentionally injure yourself, but you’ll need an attorney to make a worthwhile argument.
Violating Safety Protocols – If you are in direct violation of your employer’s safety code, your claim may be denied. For example, if you are required to wear steel toe boots at work, and you drop a concrete block on your toe while you’re wearing tennis shoes, the company can argue that your violation of their safety practices makes you ineligible for compensation. Again, an attorney can help you if your employer takes this stance.
For more information on your rights after a work injury, reach out to Hey Workers right away!
