What Is A Medical-Only Injury Claim In Minnesota?

There are a number of different types of benefits that can be paid out in a Minnesota workers’ compensation claim. You may be eligible for compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, replacement services, retraining and continued education benefits and more, but your eligibility for these will be determined based on the specific nature of your injuries. The most basic level of injury compensation in Minnesota is known as a medical-only (MO) claim, and while it may seem quite straightforward on the surface, there are some things you’ll want to know if you’re hoping to file one of these claims after a work injury. In today’s blog, we explain what a medical-only claim is following a Minnesota work injury.

Understanding Medical-Only Work Comp Claims

As you can probably tell, a medical-only claim only pays out compensation for medical and treatment-related expenses that are a direct result of your work injuries. Unlike other types of claims, there is no minimum amount of time that needs to be missed in order for a person to be eligible for a medical only claim. For example, if you suffered a cut on your forearm on Monday morning, went to the doctor, received stitches and returned to work the same day or the next day, you would be eligible to file a medical-only claim. If you incurred medical expenses due to your on-the-job injury, you are entitled to workers’ compensation through a medical-only claim.

Your claim may progress into a more comprehensive claim depending on how much time you miss from work. Under Minnesota law, you are eligible for wage loss benefits if you suffer an injury that keeps you out of work for at least three calendar days, beginning on the first day that you missed time from work. This means that if you are injured at work on Friday morning and cannot physically return to work until Tuesday, you may be eligible to collect wage loss benefits for your Monday shift, because the three day waiting period would have counted Friday, Saturday and Sunday in this waiting period, meaning Monday is an eligible day for wage loss compensation. However, if you returned to work on Monday morning, you would be returning at the conclusion of this three day waiting period, meaning you would only be eligible for a medical-only claim.

Regardless of the type of claim that you’ll be filing, it is imperative that you report your injuries to your employer as soon as possible. Not only will this get the ball rolling on your three day waiting period, but it also prevents your employer’s insurance company from questioning the nature of your injuries. If you wait a few days to report your injuries, the insurance company may suggest that you were actually injured outside of work, which will only make it harder for you to collect the compensation you deserve.

Medical-only claims are one of the most common types of injury claims that are filed in Minnesota, because many workers suffer injuries that require medical attention but don’t knock them out of work for an extended period. Your mind may not jump straight to a workers’ compensation claim if you return to work the day after suffering an injury, but you don’t deserve to be stuck with those medical expenses after suffering an on-the-job injury, and that’s where a medical-only compensation claim comes in.

If you need help pursuing a medical-only injury claim, or you have a more complex claim that involves other types of injury benefits, let Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm be your guide. We’ve helped countless workers collect MO claims and different types of injury benefits, and we’d be happy to help you get the financial compensation you deserve after an injury. For more information, or for questions about a potential claim, reach out to the team at Margolis Law Firm today at (952) 230-2700.