Workers Compensation
Disability BenefitsAn employee who suffers an on the job injury may be entitled to certain disability benefits.
Permanent Partial Disability
An injured employee may receive permanent partial disability benefits if he or she suffers a permanent loss of function due to an on the job injury. The amount an employee may recover is based upon the percentage of impairment to the whole body. Typically, entitlement to these benefits is based upon the specific diagnosis of a physician. These benefits are not related to an employee's lost wages. Rather, these benefits are related to an employee's work restrictions or ability to work.
Permanent Total Disability
An employee may become permanently and totally disabled in one of two ways. An employee may suffer an on the job injury that results in the loss of sight, limb, paralysis, or loss of mental faculties. An injured employee may also be permanently and totally disabled if he or she meets certain age requirements and has sustained a specific percentage of impairment to the body as a whole. Such a finding may require the specific diagnosis of a physician. An injured employee who meets the requirements for this type of disability is entitled to two-thirds of his or her daily wage at the time of injury.
Death Benefits
Benefits are available to the dependents of an employee who dies as the result of an on-the-job injury. An employee's dependents can include his or her spouse, children under the age of 18, children under the age of 25 who are attending a full-time post-secondary educational program, or children over the age of 18 who are mentally or physically incapable of earning a living. Minnesota law sets forth different rates of compensation, depending upon the number of dependents an employee has.
