If you’ve been injured on the job in Missouri, you probably think the system is designed to help you. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
The truth is much more harsh: the Missouri Workers’ Compensation system is stacked against injured workers from the moment they get hurt.
At The Krebs Law Firm, we’ve represented injured workers in Columbia and across mid-Missouri for decades. We’ve seen firsthand how insurance companies, employers, and lawmakers team up to limit your benefits, deny your claims, and frustrate your recovery.
Let’s take a closer look at how Missouri Workers’ Compensation works—and how it actually is designed to work against you.
We’ll expose the legal loopholes, the unfair rules, and the billion-dollar lobbying efforts behind the scenes.
Most importantly, we’ll explain how hiring a skilled Columbia MO Workers’ Comp Lawyer can help level the playing field.
The Three Benefits You’re Supposed to Receive
By law, Missouri Workers’ Compensation is supposed to guarantee you three basic rights after a workplace injury:
- Two-thirds of your lost wages (Temporary Total Disability)
- Medical treatment paid by the employer or their insurance
- A lump sum for permanent partial disability (PPD)
Sounds fair, right? But here’s the catch—you don’t automatically get any of these without a fight.
The System Is Designed to Undervalue Your Injury
Imagine losing a finger, injuring your spine, or even suffering an amputation. In Missouri, your compensation is based on a state-approved “meat chart” that assigns a number of weeks of pay to each body part.
- A lost thumb: 45 weeks
- A shoulder injury: 232 weeks
- A knee injury: 160 weeks
- A lost finger: 20–30 weeks (depending on which finger)
And remember—those weeks are only paid at two-thirds of your average weekly wage, and are capped by a maximum rate.
For example, if you earn $600 per week and lose a finger worth 30 weeks, you’d only receive 20 weeks at $400, or about $8,000 for the loss of part of your hand.
There is no compensation for pain, suffering, or emotional distress. The system sees you as a number, not a human being.
And when you’re dealing with a serious injury that affects your ability to work and live, that’s simply unacceptable.
The Employer Gets to Choose the Doctor—And That’s a Huge Problem
Another unfair feature of Missouri Workers’ Compensation: your employer gets to choose your treating doctor.
That means you can’t pick your own physician if you want your bills covered.
The doctors who treat workers’ comp cases know exactly who signs their checks—the insurance companies.
These doctors often:
- Downplay your injury
- Rush your recovery
- Say you’re “fine” even when you’re clearly not
- Assign the lowest possible permanent disability rating
We’ve had cases where treating physicians blatantly misrepresented medical facts, ignored obvious injuries, or lied about patients’ conditions—all in favor of their insurance company clients.
Example: A doctor testified that a client’s spinal fusion failed because he was diabetic and noncompliant with his medications. We proved the client was never diagnosed with diabetes. The Missouri Court of Appeals later found the doctor “not credible.”
This is why we depose doctors, challenge their opinions, and fight back with expert testimony of our own.
Workers’ Comp Insurers Use Every Tactic to Cheat You
Make no mistake: the insurance company is not your friend. From the moment you’re hurt, they start building a case to limit or deny your benefits. Common tactics include:
Surveillance and Video Spying
They hire private investigators to secretly record you at home, at the store, or outside. If you lift a bag of groceries or mow your lawn, they’ll try to argue you’re not injured—even if you’re in pain the rest of the week.
Nurse Case Managers
Insurers assign a nurse case manager who will attend appointments, push for quick return to work, and whisper in the doctor’s ear about “exaggerated complaints.” These nurses are paid by the insurer—not you.
Drug Testing Abuse
Many workers are drug-tested immediately after an injury—even in the emergency room. If they find any substance (including painkillers you were given at the hospital), they may try to slash your benefits by 50% or deny them altogether.
Safety Violation Penalties
If your employer says you violated a safety rule (like not wearing a harness), your benefits can be cut in half. But if theyfail to follow safety rules? Their penalty is just 15%.
Wrongful Termination
If you’re recovering at home and don’t fill out a form or return a call, your employer might fire you—and try to cut off your wage payments. We’ve handled these civil cases too, and we don’t let employers get away with retaliation.
You Need to File a Formal Claim—Not Just a Notice
A common trap is believing that filling out a workplace “report of injury” or “Form 21” protects your rights. It doesn’t.
You need to file a formal Claim for Compensation with the Missouri Division of Workers’ Compensation. This legal filing preserves your rights and sets the stage for settlement negotiations or a trial. If you don’t file it correctly—and on time—you risk losing everything.
Missouri Lawmakers Are Not on Your Side
Why is the system so broken?
Because insurance companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying lawmakers to write laws that protect profits, not people.
They’ve pushed for:
- Lower benefit caps
- Shorter timelines to file claims
- Tighter restrictions on what injuries qualify
- More power for employers and insurers to control your care
Even the rule that says your injury must be the “prevailing factor”—meaning more than 50% of the cause—was designed to make it harder to qualify for benefits.
If you have a pre-existing condition or multiple contributing factors, they’ll argue that work wasn’t the main cause—even when it clearly was.
Honesty Matters—But So Does Legal Representation
At The Krebs Law Firm, we believe in representing honest, hard-working people with real injuries.
If you’re hurt, we will believe you, fight for you, and do everything in our power to protect your rights.
But you have to be honest—with us and with the system.
If you lie or exaggerate, your case could be destroyed. We’ve had clients throw away strong claims by testifying falsely—only to be exposed by video surveillance or contradictory medical records.
We’ll always prepare you thoroughly for trial, help you tell your story with confidence, and ensure the judge hears the truth in a compelling way.
Why You Need a Columbia MO Workers’ Comp Lawyer Right Away
Here’s the bottom line: the moment you’re hurt, the system starts working against you. The insurance company has lawyers. Your employer has lawyers. You need a skilled legal team on your side.
At The Krebs Law Firm, we help clients across Columbia, Jefferson City, and mid-Missouri with:
- Filing formal claims
- Challenging bad medical opinions
- Preparing for hearings and depositions
- Negotiating maximum-value settlements
- Litigating when insurers deny legitimate claims
We don’t charge a fee unless we win your case. And we don’t settle for less than you deserve.
Injured at Work in Columbia, Missouri? Contact The Krebs Law Firm Today
If you’ve been hurt on the job, don’t wait. Every day you delay could cost you benefits, medical care, and compensation.
Don’t try taking on the insurance companies alone. Call The Krebs Law Firm for a free consultation. You need an experienced workers compensation attorney at your side to make sure you get what you deserve for your workplace injury. Call The Krebs Law Firm Springfield office at (417) 883-5886, our Columbia office at (573) 886-8976 or toll free at (800) 345-0535.
There is no upfront cost to hiring a Missouri Workers Compensation attorney for your claim. If have a potential Missouri work comp case and want to make sure you maximize your Missouri Workers Compensation benefits for your workplace injury, then you should speak to an experienced Missouri Workers Compensation attorney sooner rather than later.
Utilize our years of expertise to get the compensation you deserve and let us help each step of the way.