Sunnyside Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
If you get hurt while working in Sunnyside, WA, you may be eligible to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. Although you may qualify for benefits, your employer may deny them. This means you may have to pay your medical bills and cover the costs of your lost wages out of your own pocket. In this situation, legal help is available. By partnering with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer, you may be able to hold your employer accountable for your losses.
At Brumback & Ottem Injury Law, we offer legal help with workers’ compensation claims. Our workers’ comp lawyers are available to review your case and go over your legal options with you. To learn more, reach out to us.
Workers’ Compensation in Washington State
In 1919, no-fault industrial insurance laws were put into effect in Washington. These regulations provided financial protection to individuals who performed hazardous jobs.
Workers’ compensation coverage has evolved over the years. Today, a workers’ comp system is in place that offers wage replacement and medical benefits to individuals who experience an injury or illness while working.
If your employer offers workers’ compensation, you may be covered for medical services relating to an on-the-job injury or illness. For example, you may work at a construction site and get hurt. At this point, you may be able to receive workers’ comp benefits to help you pay your medical bills and recover from your injury.
Along with medical benefits, you may be able to receive money to help cover your lost wages while you rebound from an on-the-job injury. If your workplace injury prevents you from working, you may receive partial wage replacement.
What to Do If You Get Hurt at Work
If you get hurt on the job, get medical help. Go to a doctor so you can address your injury immediately. A doctor may perform an evaluation and help you treat your injury before it gets any worse.
It may be in your best interests to report your workplace injury right away. To receive workers’ comp benefits, you may have up to one year from the date you suffer an on-the-job injury to notify your employer about it, according to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). If you do not file a claim within 1 year for a specific injury or the 2 years for an occupational disease, any future application for that condition/injury will be rejected.
How to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim
In Washington, you may submit your claim online using the FileFast tool or call 1-877-561-FILE (3453) to do so. You may need to include the following information:
- Location of where you suffered your injury
- Details of your injury
- Contact information of anyone who saw your injury happen
- Information about your employer
- Details about your wages
- The names and dates of birth of any dependents
If you already received medical care, you may need to provide your doctor’s first and last name and the name of any hospitals or clinics where you were treated as well.
If you encounter any problems as you submit your claim, an L&I attorney may be able to help you out. This lawyer can answer frequently asked questions and others about workers’ compensation and help you file your claim before your window to do so lapses. Some people find the process overwhelming. Brumback and Ottem can assist you with a free consultation to assist.
Workers’ Compensation Claim Tips
In addition to hiring a Sunnyside workers’ comp attorney, there are many things you can do to help ensure your request for benefits gets approved. These include:
Report Your Injury to Your Employer
You may believe you can work through an injury, but doing so may compromise your health. If you may have gotten hurt at work, it may be best to notify your employer. From here, you may be able to submit a claim.
Receive Medical Care
After you meet with a doctor and receive medical treatment, continue to get the care you need. Keep track of your medical bills, as you may have to use these to support your claim.
Stay in Touch with Your Employer
Provide your employer with updates about your injury and when you may be able to return to work. If you cannot return to your previous job due to your injury, a light-duty or transitional job or other employment opportunities may be available.
Labor and industries attorneys understand how a personal injury may affect your livelihood. As you file your claim, your lawyer may help you avoid problems along the way. They may work in lockstep with you to put you in the best position to get your claim approved.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Typically, you may receive healthcare services and time-loss compensation via workers’ comp.
L&I covers hospital, surgical, and other healthcare services. It may also offer financial assistance with emergency care. You may receive these and other healthcare services until you have recovered from your injury.
With healthcare services, you may be able to choose the healthcare provider to treat your injury. To do so, choose a provider from the L&I Medical Provider Network. Qualified providers within this network include:
- Physicians
- Dentists
- Optometrists
- Ophthalmologists
- Advanced registered nurse practitioners
Medical bills typically are sent to L&I for payment by the providers. If there are concerns or questions about whether workers’ comp covers a medical expense, a healthcare provider may send a bill to you. Brumback and Ottem may be able to work with L&I to get this bill covered.
To receive time-loss compensation, your healthcare provider must verify your injury is related to your job and may prevent you from working. They must send L&I information about your injury and its impact on you.
A time-loss compensation check may total up to 75% of your total wages and various benefits. The total you get depends on whether you have dependents and other factors.
Outside of healthcare services and time-loss compensation, you may qualify for coverage for any of the following benefits through workers’ comp:
- Travel to a medical or job training appointment
- Vocational Services
- Home or vehicle modification costs
Sunnyside workers’ comp attorneys may be able to help you calculate your losses. A work injury lawyer may also find ways to ensure you can maximize your benefits.
Workers’ Comp Claim Denial
You may file your workers’ comp paperwork but still have your request for benefits denied. There are many reasons why benefits requests get rejected, such as:
- Your doctor or other medical provider does not relate the medical condition to your workplace injury.
- You did not complete all of the required paperwork.
- Your doctor or other medical providers did not share enough information about your injury and treatment.
- You did not file a claim within 1 year for a specific injury or the 2 years for an occupational disease.
L&I attorneys understand the challenges that may come with getting a workers’ comp request approved. If you have an experienced L&I lawyer at your side, you may boost your chances of getting your claim approved. Or, if your claim is denied, Brumback and Ottem can help you determine the best course of action to get the benefits you want.
What to Do If Your Workers’ Comp Claim Is Denied
You have the option to appeal L&I’s decision to deny your workers’ compensation claim. There is a 60-day window for appealing the decision. L&I lawyers may work with you to help you prepare your appeal.
An appeal may be submitted to the Washington Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals. It must be filed in writing and include information about why you are asking for L&I’s original decision to be overturned.
Once you file your appeal, you may be able to participate in a mediation conference with L&I and your employer. During the conference, you may be able to work with L&I and your employer to resolve your dispute. A labor and industries attorney may be able to represent you at your conference. They may help you engage in negotiations that allow you to get workers’ comp benefits.
If no settlement is reached, you may have to bring your case before an industrial appeals judge. You may get the opportunity to present evidence to explain why you believe you deserve benefits. The judge also hears what other parties involved in your case have to say. They may use all of the information at their disposal to decide whether to reverse L&I’s initial decision.
Evidence to Support a Work Injury Claim
A work injury attorney may help you gather and evaluate evidence. Some of the proof you may use to support your request for workers’ comp benefits include:
- Accident reports
- Medical records
- Witness statements
- Photo/video evidence
Labor and industries lawyers understand the value of evidence. They may help you identify key pieces of evidence that may help you convince L&I to approve your claim. If your claim was previously denied, a workers’ compensation attorney may help you build a body of proof designed to get the first decision against you reversed.
When to File a Workers’ Comp Claim
A workers’ compensation lawyer may help you figure out if now is the right time to submit a claim. They may examine the facts surrounding your workplace injury. Your attorney may also ask you questions as they try to determine why your injury occurred.
If workers’ compensation lawyers believe you have a legitimate claim, they may help you get the best results out of it. They may work with you to file your claim promptly and include relevant information to support it. That way, it may be clear to L&I why your claim should be approved.
Partner with Best-in-Class Sunnyside Workers’ Compensation Attorneys
When in doubt about what to do after you suffer an on-the-job injury, seek legal help. By meeting with a workers’ comp lawyer in Sunnyside, you may be able to find out what legal options are available. If it may be in your best interests to pursue a workers’ compensation claim, your lawyer can help you navigate this process.
The legal team at Brumback & Ottem Injury Law works effectively and efficiently to help our clients recover damages. We are here to help you out with your workers’ comp claim in any way we can. To get started, contact us today.