Concussions in the workplace can be due to slips, trips and falls, blows to the head or motor vehicle collisions.  Minnesota’s Worker’s Compensation law provides benefits for workers who sustain concussion injuries in the course and scope of their employment.

The Minnesota Department of Labor and industry had reports that the number of workers compensation claims for concussion injuries has been increasing year by year so that the total number of claims in the calendar year 2018 was more than double the number from five years before. The number reported in 2013 was three times higher than five years before that! The net result is that the total number of workers compensation claims for concussion injuries in 2018 was 10 times higher than that in 2006.  That result is more likely because of increased awareness of concussion injuries rather than an increase in the actual number that have occurred.

It is interesting to note that 55% of the because caution injury claims involved women.

Concussion injuries were reported in the following industries or occupations:

    • Healthcare/social assistance            19%
    • educational services                           15%
    • retail                                                      15%
    • transportation/material moving     14%
    • sales                                                       10%
    • healthcare support                              9%

Victims of concussion injuries incurred on-the-job include the following:

    • Medical expenses
    • Temporary Disability Benefits (for loss of earnings due to injury)
    • Permanent Disability Benefits (compensation for permanent disability)
    • Retraining Benefits (if you are unable to return to your pree-injury job)
    • Death Benefits.

The Minnesota Workers Compensation Lawyers at the Schmidt Salita Law Team are experienced in handling a wide variety of workers compensation cases, specifically including those resulting from concussion injuries.

Special Note:  In response to the COVID 19 pandemic, Minnesota has changed the law to make it easier for workers in certain specialty fields to receive workers compensation benefits relating to their exposure.   This new amendment recognizes that it is especially difficult prove that any occupational illness was caused by exposure in the workplace as opposed to exposure outside the jobsite.  As of April 8, 2020, Minnesota law creates a presumption that COVID-19 is a work-related occupational disease for certain employees including healthcare workers, correctional officers, paramedics, EMTs, firefighters, and employees required to provide childcare for emergency personnel while schools are closed. Employees in these specific areas are not required to prove that they contracted the Covid 19 at work.