Work injuries can be classified in a number of different ways, but in many cases, your work injury will fall into one of two distinct categories – scheduled and unscheduled. Your work injury was likely unexpected, but that doesn’t mean that it was unscheduled. Scheduled and unscheduled work injuries have different definitions in this context, and we’re going to take a closer look at both types of work injuries in today’s blog.
Scheduled And Unscheduled Work Injuries
Scheduled and unscheduled work injuries refer to the manner in which compensation is determined for your injuries. Scheduled injuries involve a predetermined amount of compensation based on the type of injury and your disability rating, whereas unscheduled injuries require a more complex assessment of the individual and their impairment to determine a fair compensation agreement.
While no two injuries are ever exactly the same, Minnesota workers’ compensation disability schedule lays out the impairment rating for a number of different injuries. For example, you can see the permanent partial disability rating for a variety of amputation injuries by referring to this schedule.
As you might imagine, scheduled injuries tend to be a little more clear cut when it comes to things like your impairment, your recovery and your life going forward. Common areas of your body that typically adhere to a statutory schedule include injuries to the:
- Eyes
- Hands
- Arms
- Feet
- Legs
- Ears
- Teeth
- Knee
- Ankle
- Hip
Unscheduled injuries tend to require a more nuanced approach to recovery and life after you’ve reached maximum medical improvement. Again, this is by no means a definitive list, but injuries to these body parts oftentimes don’t apply to a well-defined statutory schedule:
- Head
- Spine
- Internal Organs
- Chronic Pain Conditions
- Respiratory Illnesses
While it may seem easier to receive compensation for scheduled injuries, that doesn’t mean you should just assume you can collect this compensation on your own. The insurance company may try to have you evaluated by a physician who routinely provides low injury ratings, or they may try to downplay your injuries. Regardless of whether you’re dealing with a scheduled or unscheduled injury, you need to have a professional in your corner who can build a strong case, make sure you get fair treatment and help you get the compensation you deserve. We want to be that ally for you.
If you or someone you know has been injured at work and is thinking about filing for workers’ compensation, consider syncing up with the team at Hey Workers. We’ll go to bat for you and take the stress out of your case. Put us on your schedule, and injury compensation will be a breeze. For more information, or to talk about the merits of your injury case with a professional, reach out to the team at Hey Workers today at (844) 439-9675.
