A fall at work may be covered by workers’ comp, depending on the circumstances.
If you fall down on your day off while on a hike, it’s not a work related injury.
What if you are injured while traveling to a jobsite, make an emergency phone call or injured on the job but away from work?
There are many scenarios in which someone can be injured and the line between on and off the clock can blur. This is when you need to determine if your injury can qualify for Minneapolis workers’ compensation.
Here are some topics covered in this article.
- Work Related vs Non Work Related Injury
- When can a non work related injury become work related
- If you are unsure what to do when your injury may be contested
The Two-Part Test Behind Workers’ Comp
Minnesota workers’ compensation law generally covers injuries that arise out of and in the course of employment.
When you are injured on the job while performing your job duties, you have a higher likelihood that your injury can arise out of your employment. Let’s say you injure your shoulder by moving a customer’s package while at work. You most likely have a case for workers’ compensation. If you injure your shoulder at home moving your couch over the weekend, you do not have a work-related injury that will be covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance.
Another thing to remember about workers’ compensation is that it’s a no fault system. You do not have to prove that your employer did something negligent that caused your injury, only that your injury is considered work related.
If your claim is disputed, https://www.meshbesher.com/practice-areas/minneapolis-workers-comp-attorney/ outlines legal help available for Minneapolis workers. Keep the focus on what you were doing when you got hurt and why.
When an Off-the-Clock Injury May Still Be Work-Related
Many times when someone is injured they are completing work tasks outside of their normal hours of work.
Driving for your employer
An ordinary trip to and from your regular workplace is generally treated as a commute, not covered work travel. A special errand for an employer is one possible exception. In a 2026 Minnesota Supreme Court case, a worker fell while loading work equipment into her vehicle at home, before leaving for the office. The employer had implicitly requested that she return the equipment before her normal shift. The court held that the special-errand exception applied to those facts.
Also if you are traveling to see different customers, you may be able to argue that your injury was work related.
Breaks and small personal tasks
When you step away from your desk to grab a drink of water or go to the bathroom, you may be able to argue that you were on the job. Courts in Minnesota have allowed certain situations where you may be considered to be working. Just because you stepped away from your workstation does not mean that you will be able to file a claim, it depends on where you were, the hazards and situation in which you were injured.
Working from home
Many people work from home now, your home office can be considered a place of employment as well. If you are injured while completing work related tasks at your house, you may be able to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. What Usually Counts as a Personal Accident?
An injury during a purely personal activity generally falls outside workers’ comp coverage. But being away from the workplace does not by itself rule out a work-related injury. You may be playing your favorite sport, running errands, or driving to see your family, if you are injured, these would all be considered non work related injuries.
One caveat to this is if you are participating in employer sponsored recreational activities. Under Minnesota law, recreational activities that are sponsored by your employer, such as sporting events, social functions, and picnics, are not covered unless directed by your employer to participate.
Non-work related injuries can also affect your ability to complete your job duties. If you injure your knee away from work and required lifting on the job later makes it worse, that worsening may qualify as a work-related aggravation. Evidence must connect the change in your condition to your job duties. When you are injured, it’s best to have documentation showing your work played a role in your injury.
Why the Work Connection Gets Disputed
If you think your injury is work related, you may be surprised that your insurance company thinks otherwise. Minnesota DLI reports that there was a 17.4% denial rate on non COVID-19 indemnity claims that were filed for injuries that happened in 2024. The rate counts claims denied at some point, including some that later received payments. It does not show how many denials involved off-duty accidents.
Insurance companies may look at whether you were on a work related task, took a break from work to complete a personal task, or may even find that you have another cause for your injury.
Make sure that you document everything you can, here are three things to keep in mind.
- Have a good timeline: know where you were, what you were doing, and if you were told to do anything by your employer.
- Get records: any communication that you may have with your employer, co-workers, or clients. Save delivery information, witness information, etc.
- Know what you are telling your doctor: If you tell your doctor that you were injured at work, but on your intake sheet you said you fell on your stairs at home, the insurance company may contest your case. Always correct any information that may not be accurate, and keep a copy of the correction.
Do not lie to your insurance company. If your injury was not work related, do not try to make it seem like it was.
What to Do When the Boundary Isn’t Clear
If you were injured, and think it may be work related, follow these steps. Do not base it on whether you were working at the time, but what you were doing.
- Get medical treatment, make sure you tell your doctor what you were doing when you were injured, and follow any restrictions that your doctor gives you.
- Tell your employer, you should let them know as soon as possible that you were injured, even if you don’t think its work related, explain what you were doing.
- Get your records, once you have filed an incident report with your employer, get a copy of it, and save any information that you may have that can help you with your case. Your employer will file your First Report of Injury, but you should have a copy in case something is contested.
- If you receive a denial, read what the insurance company has to say, and learn why they think your case is not work related. There are ways to dispute your claim if you think your injury was work related.
If your injury was not work-related, other options may help. Depending on the facts, these could include health insurance, available leave, disability benefits or a separate claim against a responsible third party. All of these are separate from workers compensation, and you should learn more about what benefits you may qualify for.
The Bottom Line
If you are injured, it’s not just going to depend on if you were working at the time of your injury, or if you were injured at work. Look at what task you were performing, why you were at that location, and any hazards that may have been around. If you are unsure if your injury is work related, learn more about what you were doing at the time of your injury.
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