Do you need to return to work?

If your doctor provides you with work restrictions, your employer may provide you with an offer of light-duty work. Light duty work is work within your restrictions. You may need to accept this job. Otherwise, your workers’ compensation payments may be stopped. To avoid this, it’s important to start by telling your doctor what you can and can not do. So, your doctor can provide restrictions to protect you.

Contact our helpline to get your questions answered.

Every Case is Unique – Let Us Answer Your Questions

What is the Impact of Walmart’s “Made in America”…

When Walmart advertises that its American-made goods will create 1 million new American jobs it avoids the fact that Walmart’s Chinese-made goods totaled at least $49.1 billion in 2013 and that the Walmart-based Chinese trade eliminated 400,000 American jobs per The Alliance of American Manufacturing. Furthermore, Walmart’s average sales Associated earned just $8.81 per hour in 2010, according to IBISWorld, compared to Walmart CEO MIke Duke who received $18.7 million in compensation in 2010. This disparity places many Walmart Employee’s at poverty level in the US and also workers in China who make incredibly low wages while manufacturing the goods, reducing the standards for workers around the world. This can also carry over to lack of protection and benefits for Employees when injured at work. If you were injured at a retail job or know of someone who has been, get legal representation immediately.

Is Surgery the Answer?

There may be certain circumstances after an employee sustains a work related injury where surgery is important to be performed in order to alleviate the symptoms and provide him/her with greater function.  Most often, doctors will try other methods of resolution before considering surgery such as chiropractic, injections, physical therapy or acupuncture.  If you decide to proceed with surgery, be sure to ask your surgeon how the procedure is performed, how long the procedure takes, risks and benefits, and recovery time.  Take the time and ask your questions before you proceed to surgery.

Is Workers’ Compensation a Benefit or Burden?

The workers compensation system in Minnesota and other states were initially established to provide benefits such as wage loss, medical benefits and rehabilitation for injured workers. Now….things are changing, causing serious consequences for thousands of employees’ who have suffered serious injuries at work.

A ProPublica and NPR investigation found that the cutbacks can be so drastic that injured workers plummet into poverty while spending years battling insurance companies for medical treatment and wage loss. These changes are pushed by big businesses and insurance companies to save money at great cost to injured workers. However, the taxpayers end up footing the bill by paying billions of dollars for social security disability insurance, medicare and medicaid to replace the lost wages and medical costs denied by workers’ comp.

How to Live with Chronic Pain?

How to live with chronic pain? The fear and loneliness can be intense, leading to deep depression. It can feel terribly unfair. You were active and living life. Now, you feel like crap. You may even think, “I am dying!” What’s even more frustrating is going through dozens of examinations and hospital visits with no answers. Instead, doctors tell you your going to live a life of pain without any solutions. So, what can you do? You need to put together a team that cares about you. This includes finding the right pain management professionals, and rallying family, friends, and your legal team to support you.

Whatever your questions about chronic pain, we welcome your inquiry!  Please contact us.

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Is Mediation Helpful in Workers’ Compensation Cases?

Mediation services for injured workers cases are offered through the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Workers Compensation Division and the Office of Administrative Hearings in St. Paul, MN.  The advantage of utilizing the Office of Administrative Hearings is that Judges act in the role of a mediator and provide extensive knowledge and experience in the field of workers compensation in order to help both sides resolve the claim.  The process is voluntary and if no resolution is reached, then you still have the option to proceed to a hearing.  So, it is essential to have an attorney who specializes in workers compensation to advocate for you during the mediation process.

Is it Safe to Take Advil, Aleve and other…

FDA strengthens warning that non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cause heart attacks or strokes.

The Food and Drug Administration warns that pain relievers like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and generic) and naproxen (Aleve and generic), also known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, have an increased risk of triggering a heart attack or stroke, even if you don’t have an existing heart condition. Besides ibuprofen and naproxen, the warning also applies to prescription NSAIDs, such as celecoxib (Celebrex), diclofenac (Cambia, Voltaren, and others), and meloxicam (Mobic). Aspirin is not included in the FDA’s warning. For a complete list, see the FDA’s announcement here.

Per the FDA, patients taking NSAIDs should seek immediate medical attention if they experience chest pain, shortness of breath or trouble breathing, weakness in one part or side of their body, or slurred speech. Be sure to discuss these risks with your doctor, if you are prescribed any of these medications.

How to get Health Insurance in Minnesota?

Nearly 18 million people have gained health insurance due to the Affordable Care Act, but 10.5 million are still uninsured and could sign up for plans on state and federal exchanges. Open enrollment in the federal and state exchanges start Nov. 1. Minnesota is also providing a limited special enrollment period for Minnesotans who were offered and enrolled in COBRA coverage, which runs until October 15. Also, losing insurance due to a layoff or job loss could qualify you to get health insurance coverage outside of open enrollment. Here is how to get health insurance in Minnesota.

How to get a Handicap Parking Permit?

Obtain a handicap parking permit by following these four steps:

1. Print off the disability form at https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/forms-documents/Documents/MV_DisabilityParkingCertificate.pdf.
2. Complete the top portion of the form and sign it.
3. Ask your doctor to fill out the lower portion and sign it.
4. Mail the application to the address on the back of the form or drop it off at yoru nearest DMV.

That’s it. Don’t wait. I know what you are going through. It’s hard to ask your doctor, and you wonder what everyone will think. But, you must use every means possible to survive. You must protect your health

Are Employers Required to Have Insurance Coverage?

Employers are required to have workers’ compensation insurance for employees. If an employee has an injury and the employer has no insurance coverage, there are remedies available. An employee may request the Special Compensation Fund to provide benefits. In order to determine if you qualify for such assistance, please call our office.