Injured Police Officer and Firefighter Timing Issues for PERA Disability Benefits

If you are an injured police officer or firefighter in the state of Minnesota, there are some timing issues that you need to be aware of. First and foremost, if you are going to be applying for a PERA disability benefit you need to apply less than 18 months from the date of your termination. If you do not apply within 18 months of your termination, you are not eligible.

We do occasionally see this situation arise, unfortunately, where an individual has retained a workers' compensation attorney who does not practice PERA and who is not aware of PERA.  In fact, I am aware of one case I can think of as an example where the workers’ compensation claim was very heavily contested and it was very heavily litigated and during the pendency of the litigation her work comp attorney advised her to ‘just hold off on filing for PERA’.

Unfortunately, by the time all was said and done and the client’s workers’ compensation claim was over, the 18 months had passed, within which she would have had time to apply for her PERA benefit. So, this client may have received work comp benefits but she lost out completely on her PERA benefit because she did not file within that 18-month time period.

Don’t wait to get an attorney involved if you have a Minnesota workers’ compensation claim. The process can be complex and you want to be sure you receive the full benefits you are entitled. Contact Meuser Law Office, P.A. for a free no-obligation consultation and claim evaluation. At Meuser Law Office, P.A. we keep our clients informed of the process as well as what to expect each step of the way. Call us today at 1-877-746-5680.

by Jen Yackley
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