Eligibility For L&I Benefits In Central Washington
If you work in Washington state, you’re probably covered by workers’ comp, but you might need a lawyer to maximize your benefits.
Does Washington State Workers’ Compensation Cover My Job?
If you work in Washington state and get hurt at work, you might wonder whether your job is covered by workers’ comp.
Chances are, it is.
Most employers in Washington are required to have industrial insurance coverage – also called workers’ comp. About two-thirds get coverage through the state Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). The other one-third are self-insured.
You could do just about anything – construction site worker, Hanford Site worker, farm worker, machinist, welder, health care worker – and get benefits.
For a few kinds of workers, such as one-person businesses or domestic workers in homes with less than two employees, coverage is optional.
Even if you’re in the majority with coverage – which provides important medical care and lost wages after a workplace injury – the complicated workers’ comp system can sometimes work against you. Your immigrant or undocumented status might make things even more challenging.
That’s when a Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC, attorney can help you through the process.
We help people in Yakima, Kennewick, Sunnyside, Spokane, Richland, Ellensburg, Wenatchee, Walla Walla and all across Central Washington.
Let us go to work to get you benefits.
And to make sure you get the maximum benefits available to you, call an experienced lawyer. Your lawyer can fight a denial and sometimes secure your benefits for a longer period.
At Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC, we don’t charge anything for you to talk to us about your case so we can help determine what’s best for you.
How Do I Start My L&I Claim?
As soon as you are injured at work – or you realize conditions at work are making you sick – take these steps to start your L&I claim.
- Report the situation to your employer, get the report in writing and make copies.
- Get medical help.
Your doctor can file the report that opens your claim. Or you can get the form from L&I.
If your employer is self-insured, you’ll need to give your employer a copy of the accident or occupational disease report in order to start the application process. Once it’s filed, get a copy of the report and hold on to it.
Does Workers’ Comp Cover My Injury?
The kind of injury that qualifies for workers’ compensation in Washington is an injury that happens at work.
These are some of the most common L&I injury claims that we see:
- Musculoskeletal injuries often include back injuries and shoulder injuries, as well as leg injuries and overextension injuries.
- Extremity injuries typically involve finger injuries or facial injuries.
- Fall-related injuries, such as those from slip-and-fall accidents, are also common.
- We frequently handle claims related to motor vehicle accidents and machine accidents.
- Environmental injuries, including those from heat or cold exposure and burns or scalds, round out the list of typical work injuries.
No matter what injury you have, you need to show in your workers’ comp claim how it happened on the job and how it affects you now.
A workers’ comp lawyer from Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC, can properly document what happened to you, increasing your chances of getting the financial support you need. Unlike other legal advocates, our skilled attorneys have the knowledge to handle your case.
What If They Deny My Washington Labor & Industries Claim?
Even though the whole point of the Washington state workers’ compensation system is to help you when you’re hurt on the job, employers and workers’ comp insurance companies can come up with many ways to deny your benefits.
They might deny your claim for these reasons:
- They might say you can’t prove that your injury or medical condition resulted from your job.
- They might say you’re the type of worker who’s not covered under Washington Labor & Industries rules.
- They might say the way your accident happened disqualifies you.
After you’ve already been receiving benefits, they might say you no longer need medical support or financial assistance to recover from your injury – and terminate your benefits.
But the real reason your benefits are getting denied could be something else entirely. They might just want to save money.
You may still be eligible for workers’ comp benefits. But you’ll need to appeal the denial.
This is something you can do with help from the Washington workers’ comp attorneys at Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC.
Just because they denied you, it doesn’t mean you truly don’t qualify for workers’ comp. To get an overview of how we can help you appeal, set up a free consultation with us today at 509-606-6917 or via this online form.
What Does Workers’ Comp Give Me?
Getting hurt at work is a serious disruption to your life. If it means you can’t return to work, you’ll also struggle to pay your bills. Workers’ comp benefits exist to get you through financially – so you can focus on moving past your injury and on to better times.
You could receive these benefits:
- Your medical costs covered
- Payments for some of your lost wages
- Job counseling to help you return to work
- Compensation for lower wages resulting from your injury
If you’re denied benefits, approved for less than you deserve or terminated after already receiving benefits, working with a lawyer can help you navigate your claim – and your options – through an appeal.
You could possibly even get a settlement compensating you for a lasting impairment caused by your workplace injury. Or you could get lifelong workers’ compensation benefits if your job injury leaves you unable to work again.
Compassionate Representation Is Just One Consultation Away – And It’s Free
Our clients appreciate how much we care and how quickly we respond to their needs. We guide them through the tough L&I process, even when it takes years. We can do the same for you. To get this level of service, call us at 509-606-6917 or fill out our online form. Your first case review is free.
Our team can help in both English and Spanish.
