Have you been injured while working in Lexington, Kentucky? Call Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC at (859) 550-2900. Most employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance, which can provide helpful economic benefits if you get hurt on the job. However, getting the insurance company to pay the benefits you need can be difficult.
Our experienced Lexington workers’ compensation lawyers can help you take a stand and demand the maximum recovery you deserve. Reach out to our Lexington law office for a free consultation today.
Why Choose Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC
Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC is a fierce advocate for injured workers in Lexington, Kentucky. Backed by over a century of combined legal experience, our award-winning Kentucky trial attorneys have won more than $1 billion for our clients, including multiple hundred-million-dollar awards.
We’ve been recognized as leaders in civil litigation by The National Law Journal, LawDragon, The Best Lawyers in America, Martindale-Hubbell, and other respected legal organizations. Client-focused representation and smart legal strategies consistently yield top-tier case results. If you need help, our Lexington workers’ compensation attorneys are here for you.
How Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC Can Help With Your Claim for Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Lexington, KY
Hiring Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC to handle your claim for workers’ compensation benefits makes it clear that you won’t settle for less than you deserve.
As our client, you’ll be able to rely on our top-rated legal team to:
- Gather evidence to support your claim for benefits, including medical records and wage statements
- Investigate your workplace injury
- Help you obtain an Independent Medical Evaluation (IME), if necessary
- Collaborate with reliable expert witnesses and specialists
- Explain your legal options, answer your questions, and offer advice so that you can make informed decisions about your future
- Aggressively pursue the maximum benefits available to you under Kentucky state law
- Represent you during claim-related hearings and negotiations and, if necessary, on appeal
Our Kentucky workers’ compensation lawyers in Lexington will handle your claim on a contingent basis. Pay nothing until we’ve won compensation for you.
We offer a free consultation, so don’t hesitate to call our Lexington law office for help today.
Understanding Kentucky’s Workers’ Compensation System
Almost all employers in the state of Kentucky with at least one employee are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation is a private insurance system that helps injured workers get money for their medical bills and lost wages without having to go through Kentucky’s civil tort system.
Who Qualifies for Workers’ Compensation?
Not everyone who gets hurt at work or who is diagnosed with an occupational disease will qualify for workers’ compensation benefits.
Benefits can be awarded when a worker is:
- Classified as an employee (independent contractors aren’t covered)
- Employed by a company that’s legally required to maintain a workers’ compensation policy
- Suffering from work-related injuries.
An injury is considered work-related as long as it’s sustained while the employee is carrying out tasks or responsibilities expected of them in their role with the company. You might qualify for benefits if you were injured in a truck accident while transporting materials for your employer, but not if you were hurt in a car accident traveling to or from work.
You can typically qualify for benefits as long as all of these requirements are met.
Can I Get Benefits Even if I Was Responsible or Partly Responsible for My Workplace Injury?
Yes. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system. You can receive full benefits even if you’re fully or partly to blame for your work-related injury. Since it’s a private insurance system, Kentucky’s pure contributory fault rule won’t apply. However, the pure comparative fault statute will affect related civil lawsuits for damages.
Can I Get Benefits and Sue My Employer?
No. The no-fault system benefits employees and employers. When you’re covered by workers’ compensation, you waive the right to file a personal injury lawsuit against your employer, even if their negligence caused you to get hurt.
You can potentially file a civil lawsuit for damages against a third party. In Kentucky, you still reserve the right to hold a third party accountable if their negligent or wrongful actions caused your workplace injury.
What Types of Benefits Are Available To Injured Workers in Lexington?
Workers’ compensation benefits are intended to help you handle the economic, or financial, consequences of your workplace injury. Benefits primarily help offset costs related to your medical care and loss of income.
Medical Expenses
Your employer’s insurance company should cover costs for reasonable and necessary medical care, such as:
- Emergency room treatment
- Hospitalization
- Diagnostic tests
- Medication
- Surgery
- Medical devices
- Specialist consultations
- Chiropractic care
- Dental care
- Rehabilitation
However, for costs to be covered, you must receive treatment from a healthcare provider that’s approved by the insurance carrier. This can limit your ability to choose your doctor and participate in your treatment plan.
Temporary Total Disability
If your workplace injury keeps you from working for a week or more, you can qualify for Temporary Total Disability (TTD) benefits. TTD offsets the sudden loss of income you experience while you recover. Benefits equal two-thirds of your average weekly wage (AWW), which is calculated using your pre-injury income.
You can receive TTD benefits until you reach Maximum Medical Improvement or can return to work, whichever occurs first.
Temporary Partial Disability
If you can return to work but aren’t able to make the same amount of money right away because of your injury, you may qualify for Temporary Partial Disability (TPD). TPD benefits are intended to bridge the gap between what you earned before you got hurt and your current wages. Benefits equal two-thirds of the difference.
Permanent Partial Disability
Sometimes workers achieve Maximum Medical Improvement but aren’t fully recovered from their workplace injuries–they still struggle with some level of impairment. This is common when workers suffer from traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputation injuries, or severe burns.
In these cases, Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) benefits can be awarded. Benefits are based on an impairment rating assigned by a physician. For impairment ratings less than 34 percent, PPD benefits can be paid for up to 425 weeks. When the level of impairment is 34 percent or higher, PPD benefits can be paid for up to 520 weeks.
Permanent Total Disability
If you’re unable to return to work in any capacity because of your workplace injury or occupational disease, workers’ compensation can pay Permanent Total Disability (PTD) benefits. PTD benefits equal two-thirds of the worker’s average weekly wage.
PTD benefits are paid until the age of 70. For workers over the age of 70 who qualify, benefits are paid for up to four years.
Vocational Rehabilitation
Sometimes your injuries might prevent you from returning to your job, but not from working in another capacity. Workers’ compensation can cover the costs of vocational rehabilitation, including education and training, to help you secure a new position.
Death Benefits
Workers’ compensation death benefits can be awarded to surviving family members when a worker is killed on the job. Benefits can include money for a funeral and up to 75 percent of the victim’s average weekly wage.
Are There Caps on Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Lexington?
Yes. One drawback of workers’ compensation is that wage benefits are capped by state law. In Kentucky, wage benefits typically equal two-thirds of an employee’s average weekly wage, but they cannot exceed 110 percent of the state average weekly wage.
For 2025, the maximum weekly wage for workers’ compensation indemnity benefits is $1,231.22. So, even if this is less than two-thirds of your AWW, it’s all you’re entitled to receive through workers’ compensation.
Death benefits are subject to caps, too. Families usually receive a lump sum package. For 2025, the maximum lump sum benefit is $109,943.77.
How Long Do I Have to File for Workers’ Compensation Benefits After I Get Hurt on the Job?
As long as you notify your employer of your injury within 15 days of getting hurt on the job, you’ll retain the right to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. In Kentucky, you have two years from the date your injury was sustained or diagnosed.
If you miss the filing deadline, you lose the opportunity to receive monetary benefits from your employer’s insurance carrier.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Lexington Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
You have rights as an injured worker in Lexington, Kentucky. In addition to filing a lawsuit against a negligent third party, you may qualify for workers’ compensation insurance benefits through your employer. However, getting the maximum benefits to which you’re entitled can be an uphill battle.
The experienced Lexington workers’ compensation lawyers at Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC, can help you fight for the money you need and deserve. We’re nationally acclaimed civil trial attorneys with a proven track record of success. Standing up to powerful multinational corporations, we’ve won more than one billion dollars for clients like you. Our case results include multiple million-dollar and multi-million-dollar awards.
Discover the impact we can have on your claim for workers’ compensation benefits by calling our Lexington law office. Your first case evaluation is free.