The Minnesota workers’ compensation system is designed to protect employees in the event that they suffer an injury during the course of their work duties. In fact, in most instances, workers’ compensation is considered the “exclusive remedy” for injured workers throughout the state. What this means is that workers cannot recover money damages in civil court for injuries suffered on the job. Instead, they have access to specific benefits paid out by their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance.
But why is a workers’ compensation claim typically the only recourse an injured employee can pursue, and what are the exceptions to this “exclusive remedy?” We answer those questions and more in today’s blog.
Why Work Comp Is The Exclusive Remedy For Injured Workers
Not only is it just easier for all parties if the vast majority of on-the-job injuries are processed through the workers’ compensation system, but it also protects the business and the employee. With the exclusive remedy system, fault does not need to be established in order for a worker to have access to much needed financial assistance after an injury. Oftentimes nobody is truly at fault for a work injury, and the employee shouldn’t suffer because there’s nobody to blame, or if they were in fact the biggest contributor to their injuries.
If you’re on the job and are injured, you’re covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance without needing to prove that the company was at fault for your injuries. Similarly, you will not need to pay out of pocket if you were to accidentally contribute to another employee’s injuries. If you left a drill on the ground and another employee tripped on it and broke their ankle, you’re not personally liable, it will all be handled by the workers’ compensation insurance. Everything is just simpler and fault is removed if these injuries cannot be pursued in civil court.
Exceptions To Exclusive Remedy
As you might imagine, there are some exceptions to the exclusive remedy rule in Minnesota and across the US. We can’t lay out every specific scenario, but we can talk about some of the more common ways you may be able to prove that you’re eligible to receive compensation outside of a singular workers’ compensation claim. Some exemptions include:
Gross Negligence – If your employer grossly violated safety standards and the injuries were completely preventable, you may be able to take action in civil claims court. For example, if your employer removed safety guards on your machine press to improve productivity but it resulted in an injury, you might be able to pursue a civil claim.
Intentional Injuries – If a coworker or customer intentionally caused your injuries, you will have the ability to seek additional damages outside of workers’ compensation.
Uninsured Employer – If your employer is not carrying workers’ compensation insurance when they are legally required to do so, you may be able to collect damages via a civil claim.
Other Unique Scenarios – Every injury is different, and sometimes the specifics of your case merit an additional civil claim. For example, we recently read a story about an employee who was bitten by a customer’s service animal and was granted an exception to pursue additional compensation against their employer because the employer did not get the proper information from the customer so that the injured party could seek legal recourse against the animal’s owner. This is obviously highly specific, but it provides another example of a type of injury that would allow you to pursue additional compensation against another party following a work injury.
For more information about the workers’ compensation system in Minnesota, or for help developing your injury claim, reach out to the team at Hey Workers today.
