Some workers’ comp denials in Washington are not specifically about the medical care. And denials can take many forms, including partial denials of workers’ comp benefits.

All of these things can happen:

• They deny your benefits entirely.
• Your employer says you’re not an employee but an independent contractor.
• Workers’ comp grants you lower time-loss income benefits than you should receive.
• They terminate your existing benefits, saying you could go back to work when you can’t.

If L&I, your employer, or a workers’ comp insurer makes a decision that you disagree with, you have the option of appealing it.

A Bothwell & Hamill L&I benefits attorney can help you through this process.

You can also reopen your claim after it was closed. If your claim was closed and more than 60 days passed since you received the closing order, you can apply to reopen your claim for “aggravation,” or worsening of your medical condition.

If fewer than seven years have passed from the date the first closing order became final, you are eligible for full benefits. If more than seven years have passed, you are still entitled to medical treatment and should consult with experienced L&I lawyers about the possibility of additional compensation.

Bothwell & Hamill works to get you not just approved, but approved for the maximum benefits possible, so you can make the fullest recovery, financially and physically, after an injury on the job.