Changes Coming To Psychological Work Injuries In Minnesota

Earlier this year, Minnesota lawmakers enacted some reforms that impacted the future of psychological and mental-impairment workers’ compensation claims. Lawmakers are still hammering out the exact language of the changes, but there are some basic changes that should improve access to injury compensation for more individuals dealing with work-related PTSD and related issues. We explore the general themes of those changes in today’s blog.

PTSD Injury Compensation In The Workplace

Again, the exact specifics are still being established, but here are some of the general changes expected based on this year’s legislative sessions.

Expanded Eligibility– More workers may be eligible to seek compensation for psychological injuries, including workers in some previously-excluded industries.

Who Can Diagnose – A broader set of professionals will be authorized to diagnose work-related PTSD events. Establishing causation is currently a major necessity when pursuing a PTSD claim, and having a larger pool of informed professionals making these decisions should help workers.

New Causation Standards – The new law will modify how courts and the Department of Labor & Industry determine whether a workplace accident caused the onset of PTSD or a compensable psychological injury.

New Presumptions – Certain professionals (like first responders or some healthcare workers) may be granted presumptions that link PTSD to their job duties or specific incidents in their line of work.

Expanded Benefits – Individuals with a valid PTSD claim may have access to expanded benefits, like additional mental health treatment options, vocational rehabilitation and temporary total disability benefits.

The changes can affect a wide range of injured employees, but they have a particular focus on some specific groups, including:

First/Emergency Responders
Police Officers
Firefighters
Healthcare workers
Workers exposed to workplace violence, harassment or traumatic incidents

Needless to say, these appear to be positive changes that should ensure employees who have experienced traumatic situations are able to more easily get access to the resources they need to improve their mental health. We’re going to keep an eye on the actual language of the changes when they are officially made public, but know that you may soon have expanded options if you’re dealing with a mental health claim tied to your employment.

For more information about psychological injuries in the workplace, or for assistance moving forward with a more standard physical injury claim, connect with Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm today by calling (952) 230-2700.