Death and Dependency Benefits and Minnesota Workers’ Compensation

Sadly, on-the-job injuries can occasionally result in the death of the employee. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there were 5,488 reported work-related fatalities in the United States in 2007. In Minnesota, there were 72 work-related fatalities in 2007.

Dependents of deceased workers who died as the result of a work-related injury or illness may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Generally, dependents include 1) spouses, 2) children under the age of 18, 3) children under the age of 25 who are full-time students, and 4) children over the age of 18 who are deemed to be physically or mentally incapacitated from earning. Other family members, including the deceased worker’s mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, sister, brother, mother-in-law, or father-in-law, may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits if the family member was wholly or partially supported by the deceased worker.

Dependents of workers who die as the result of a work-related illness injury may be entitled to burial expense benefits of up to $15,000.00.

Dependents may also be entitled to dependency compensation based on the deceased workers’ average weekly wage at the time of the injury which resulted in the employee’s death.

In addition to dependency benefits, a deceased workers’ survivors may also be entitled to any workers’ compensation benefits that would have been available to the injured worker, such as wage loss benefits, including temporary total disability (TTD) benefits, temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits, or permanent total disability (PTD) benefits, or permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits.

If your loved one died as the result of a work-related injury or illness, you should strongly consider contacting a workers’ compensation attorney to make sure you and your family receive the workers’ compensation death and dependency benefits you are entitled to. The law in this area of Minnesota workers’ compensation has changed frequently over the years, and it is very complex. You’d be well advised to have an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer on your side to make sure you get all the benefits you are entitled to. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation, call Meuser & Associates at 877-746-5680, or click here to send us an email.

Visit Minnesota Workers' Compensation and Personal Injury Law Firm, Meuser & Associates, P.A., at MeuserLaw.com