A qualified rehabilitation consultant, oftentimes simply referred to as a QRC, is a therapist who provides rehabilitation services to injured workers in Minnesota. Every injured worker is entitled to services from a QRC should a work injury inhibit your ability to perform your job at the same skill level as you did before the injury.
More specifically, you are entitled to work with a qualified rehab consultant if you are deemed a “qualified employee.” The state of Minnesota defines a qualified employee as anyone who, because of the effects of a work-related injury or disease, whether or not combined with the effects of a prior injury or disability:
- Is permanently prevented or will likely be permanently prevented from engaging in your usual or customary role at the job you held at the time of your injury.
- Cannot reasonably be expected to return to suitable employment with the company who employed the injured worker at the time of the injury.
III. Can reasonably be expected to return to suitable employment, either with the date-of-injury employer or a new employer, with the aid of services from a QRC.
QRCs and Me
A qualified rehab consultant can be a valuable asset in helping you regain abilities or find suitable work after an on-the-job accident. Additionally, they can act as an intermediary between you, your employer and your medical provider to ensure everyone is on the same page in terms of where you need to be in your rehab.
Some duties and services performed by a QRC include:
- Job placement
- Vocational counseling
- Positional skills assessments
- New job training
- Retraining
- Job modifications
- Rehabilitation planning
- Return-to-work coordination
- New job seeking and placement
Additionally, should your case go before a judge, the QRC can testify to your abilities.
Picking a QRC
You have the right to choose your own QRC after a work injury. You can find a QRC by clicking here, or better yet, you can listen to the advice of your workers’ compensation attorney. Your attorney will be able to find you a QRC who truly has your best interests in mind. If you fail to choose a QRC in a timely manner, your employer may refer you to one of their choosing, and they may not share the same interests as a less-partisan QRC. For example, the WRC your company chooses may work for your employer’s insurance company.
Always consult a workers’ comp attorney before choosing a QRC, or contact an attorney if your employer is trying to get you to visit a specific QRC. Your have the right to choose your own qualified rehabilitation consultant, and considering all the duties they perform, you want one who is completely on your side and who has your best interests in mind. Call 844-Hey-Workers if you have any questions about QRCs or for help finding one in your area.
