Can A Lawyer Help When L&I Denies My Medical Treatment? Get The Care That Should Be Covered Under Workers’ Comp.
If you were hurt or became ill on the job in Washington state, you are entitled to file for workers’ compensation benefits to keep you financially stable.
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) administers the workers’ compensation program in our state. Under this program, you are entitled to:
- Medical treatment: L&I benefits are meant to cover approved medical, hospital and related services that you need due to your workplace injury or occupational illness.
- Financial assistance: L&I benefits can also mean monthly checks to offset lost wages if you can’t work.
The first step is usually the medical treatment, which starts soon after your workplace injury.
If L&I denies your workers’ comp medical treatment, you have a right to appeal their decision.
This is about your life and financial independence. Let the L&I workers’ comp attorneys at Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC go to work to get you benefits.
We’ve helped thousands of people in central Washington get the workers’ comp benefits they need to stay financially afloat.
If you’re in Ellensburg, Spokane, Sunnyside, Walla Walla, Wenatchee, Yakima or the Tri-Cities area in Kennewick, Pasco or Richland, contact us today to get your case started.
How L&I Workers’ Comp Denies Medical Treatment In Washington
These are all reasons we’ve seen for L&I denying injured workers medical treatment in Washington:
- A doctor says they can’t be sure your medical problems resulted from work.
- You waited longer than a year after you were injured to file your claim.
- L&I refuses to cover a new condition that comes up, even though your doctor says it’s directly related to your workplace injury or illness.
- L&I or your workers’ comp insurance decides you’ve reached “Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI).” MMI is the point at which your condition is not expected to improve any further with treatment.
- Workers’ comp decides they need a second opinion before they approve a medical treatment or procedure.
- They simply don’t respond when your doctor requests approval for a treatment plan.
Where do you go from here?
The experienced Washington workers’ comp lawyers at Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC can provide a free case review, letting you know your options for getting the health coverage you deserve after you’re hurt at work.
Different Ways That L&I Might Deny Your Workers’ Comp Claim
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 & Sutton, PLLC, L&I benefits attorney can help you through this process.
You can also reopen your claim after it is 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 & Sutton, PLLC 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.
