Minnesota workers’ compensation is a very complex system, but at its core, the basic principle is pretty straightforward. If an employee is injured while they are on the clock, they typically have a right to pursue compensation to offset their medical expenses or lost wages. However, there are a number of exceptions or instances where workers’ compensation doesn’t apply. In today’s blog, we spotlight 10 situations where workers’ compensation likely would not cover your injuries.
Workers’ Compensation Likely Won’t Cover These Injuries
While you should always have a conversation with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney about whether or not you can apply for workers’ compensation, here’s a look at 10 instances where the insurance company would likely deny your claim.
1. Intentional Injuries – If you intentionally hurt yourself, you are ineligible for workers’ compensation. You can absolutely cause your own injuries, so long as they aren’t intentional. For example, if you leaned too far off a ladder and fell, you are to blame, but as long as you did not do it on purpose, you’d be eligible for workers’ compensation.
2. Everyday Illnesses – If the seasonal flu is going around the office, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to collect workers’ compensation if it knocks you out of work. This would only work in extremely rare cases.
3. Acts Of God – You may be on the clock when a disaster strikes, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you can collect workers’ compensation. You’re going to find it hard to collect compensation if you were injured by a tornado, earthquake or similar act of God while on the clock.
4. Fights – If you get in a fight with another person, you’re not going to be able to file for workers’ compensation as a result of any injuries that you suffered. You would have to pursue a personal injury claim against the other party.
5. Horseplay – Actions described as horseplay typically are not compensable under workers’ compensation. If you were wrestling a co-worker and dislocated your shoulder, workers’ compensation likely won’t be picking up the tab for your medical bills.
6. Your Commute – Even though you’re only doing your commute because you are employed by your company, your trip to and from the office typically isn’t covered by workers’ compensation. That said, if you’re traveling between job sites or making a delivery while on the clock, you may be covered for any injuries you incur.
7. Heart Attacks – Heart attacks are usually not covered by workers’ compensation because the insurance company can argue that other outside factors contributed to your heart attack. That said, if you were overworked or exposed to extreme work conditions, you should at least have a conversation with an attorney about your eligibility.
8. While Committing A Crime – While it doesn’t come up often, it’s worth noting that workers’ compensation will not foot the bill for any medical expenses or lost wages that occurred as a direct result of a commission of a crime.
9. Non-Compensable Minor Injuries – You may have been injured on the clock, but if the injury did not lead to medical expenses and you did not miss at least three days of work, odds are your injury will not be considered compensable. If it can be treated with normal first aid and you can return to work in a day or two, you’re likely not eligible for workers’ compensation.
10. Injuries While Under The Influence – It’s going to be an uphill battle to collect compensation if you were under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the incident, but the onus still falls on your employer to prove that your intoxication played a direct role in your injuries. If your intoxication did not directly cause your injuries, you may still be able to earn injury compensation.
If you have questions about anything on this list, or you have a more run-of-the-mill claim that you’d like assistance with, reach out to the talented team of injury lawyers at Hey Workers today at (844) 439-9675.
