After 37 years practicing workers’ compensation in northern Minnesota, through good economic times and bad, I have come to realize that workers are less likely to report a work injury when times are tough. I receive fewer calls when we are in a down economy, as we are right now, for the simple reason that people are afraid to report work injuries because they fear for their jobs.
In my experience, there are a lot of people in northern Minnesota working with injuries right now because they are afraid they might lose their job if they need to take some time off for an injury. “What if I am off work for a couple of weeks with an injury and my job is no longer available when I’m ready to go back?” This is an understandable concern when so many are out of work and there aren’t enough jobs for all the people who want them.
Risks of Not Reporting a Work Injury
Unfortunately, there are risks in not reporting a work injury. Besides the obvious problem of not getting proper medical care and possibly making the injury worse, there are notice deadlines and claim filing deadlines established by Minnesota law. Waiting too long to provide your employer with notice of an injury or filing a work comp claim may mean the loss of the claim forever. Scroll through the list of previous posts for information on this and many other topics
This may not be a big deal for a minor injury but can be a huge problem if the injury turns out to be significant and long-lasting. It is always a good idea to seek legal advice in order to protect your rights and learn more about your options. See this previous post for more information.
You can call me anytime for a free, confidential discussion about your claim and your options. If you have been injured on the job and have questions, don’t hesitate to call and get the benefit of my 37 years of workers’ compensation experience.
Office phone: (218) 327-1235
Steve’s Cell phone: (218) 256-6680
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