Unfortunately, the workplace is a common location to get injured because you slip and fall. Floors may have invisible pools of water on them, a spill could make them very slippery, or equipment could be unexpectedly wet. Slip and fall injuries potentially could be very serious, and you could receive workers’ compensation for many of them.
When Can You Receive Workers’ Comp for a Slip and Fall?
If you are injured in a slip and fall accident at work, you may qualify for workers’ compensation in Minnesota. As long as the injuries happened in the course of your employment and arose out of it, you can receive benefits. “In the course of” and “arising out of” your employment are very broad. For example, you could slip and fall:
- While visiting a client in another office
- On a job site
- Outside the office in the parking lot
- In the stairwell of your office building
- In the bathroom
- In the cafeteria or break room
All of these slip and fall injuries could be compensable with workers’ comp benefits. However, in Minnesota there have been a few legal rulings against workers who slipped and fell at work. Courts are hesitant to require workers’ compensation benefits when a fall is very unlikely – for example, the floor is not slippery and the worker’s fall was seemingly out of nowhere.
To maximize your chances of receiving benefits, be sure to report your injury to your employer immediately – even if you feel okay right after the fall. Sometimes injuries from a fall, such as a sprained ankle, broken bones, or deep bruises, take a while to affect you. The shock from the fall may prevent you from immediately recognizing that you are hurt.
Personal Injury Claims
In addition to workers’ compensation benefits, you may want to pursue a personal injury lawsuit. When your fall happened outside your office, such as at a vendor site, you may have grounds for recovery from the vendor. For people who are seriously injured, a personal injury lawsuit can provide an opportunity to recover additional damages that can cover medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Need help getting workers’ compensation for your injury? Joe Osterbauer, Esq. and the Osterbauer Law Firm stand up for injured Minnesota workers’ rights. Joe’s 27 years of workers’ compensation experience and his team’s speedy service combine to get clients the results they need. The team also pursues personal injury claims. To schedule a free consultation, visit Osterbauer Law Firm online or call Joe’s office at (612) 334-3434.
