Washington Workers Compensation

What is Workers Compensation Insurance Washington?

Workers compensation insurance Washington is a compulsory system that requires all employers in Washington (with over four employees) to purchase insurance for their employees in case of a workplace injury or illness. Workers compensation insurance Washington may be provided through a state-run fund or from private insurance companies. Workers compensation insurance Washington is necessary because it ultimately benefits both parties (employer and employee): protection clears the employer from liability while offering benefits to offset lost wages for the employee in case of a workplace injury or illness.

Washington Workers Compensation Laws for Workers:

Washington Workers Compensation Law: Your responsibilities as an Employee

Employees—to properly coincide with Washington Workers Compensation Laws—must:

• The employee—according to WA workers compensation insurance Washington—must study and practice all safe practices that apply to your work

• The employee—according to WA workers compensation insurance Washington—must cooperate and coordinate with all other employees in your workplace as an attempt to eliminate on-the-job illnesses and injuries

• The employee—according to WA workers compensation insurance Washington—must apply said principles of accident prevention in their proper safety devices and daily work as required by their employer or work

• The employee—according to WA workers compensation insurance Washington—must Take care of all work safety equipment

• The employee—according to WA workers compensation insurance Washington—must not wear loose or torn clothing while working around heavy machinery

• The employee—according to WA workers compensation insurance Washington—must report to your supervisor every occupational illness or industrial injury that occurs on the job

• The employee—according to WA workers compensation insurance Washington—may not interfere with the use of any protective equipment or safety protocol by any individual in the workplace

• The employee—according to WA workers compensation insurance Washington—may not displace, damage, destroy or remove any safeguard or warning provided to make the environment a safer place

• The employee—according to WA workers compensation insurance Washington—must not interfere with the use of any work practice implemented to protect the employees from injuries

• Employees—according to Washington workers compensation laws—are required to everything possible to protect the safety and life of their fellow employees

How do I File a Claim for Workers Compensation Insurance Washington?

1. Get Medical Treatment: If you are injured and work and require treatment, you must immediately go to a health care provider or the emergency room. Your health care provider can assist you with filing a claim for workers compensation insurance Washington. If you work for a self-insured employer, your employer will provide you with the Self-Insurer Accident Report and assist you—in accordance with Washington workers compensation laws—with completing the form. If you visit your health care provider, they will submit the Provider’s Initial Report to the self-insured employer.

2. Understanding Fault: Washington workers compensation laws proclaim Washington a no-fault state. This means that the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries will cover allowable claims for workplace injuries regardless of who is at fault. This Washington workers compensation law is also applied to self-insured employers

3. Deadline for Filing Claims: Your self-insured employer or the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries must receive your claim application within one year of the injury date. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries must receive claims for occupational diseases within two years from the date of your doctor’s diagnosis.

4. What Information Goes on the Report: Washington workers compensation laws declares that the following information must be placed on your claim:

a. Information concerning your employer, injury, diagnosis, treatment and other background information

b. This report is referred to as the Report of Industrial Injury or Occupational Disease or the Self Insurer Accident Report if your employer is self-insurer

5. How Long Does it Take to get my Workers Compensation Insurance Washington: Your medical professional has five days to send the report to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries or your self-insured employer. The processing times vary depending on the type of claim. If you are eligible for a wage-replacement benefit package—without additional information required—your self-insured employer or the Labor & Industries board will send the first benefit check within 2 weeks of receiving your claim for workers compensation insurance Washington.

Washington Workers Compensation Laws for Businesses:

What to do if Your Employee is injured:

• In case of a death or a probable death, an employer must report the incidence to the Washington Labor & Industries organization within 8 hours of the probably death, the death or the in-patient hospitalization of any worker due to an on-the job injury. The employer, in this situation,—according to Washington Workers Compensation Laws—must call 1-800-423-7233

• Assuming an employee files a claim, The Washington Labor and Industries organization will immediately mail a claim notice to both the employer’s physical location and their claim mailing addresses, if the addresses are different.

• Stay Involved with Your Employee’s Claim: An employer must regularly monitor the injured employee’s claim, their medical progress reports and the decisions rendered by the Washington Labor and Industries organization. The employer should make sure the doctor is aware of any temporary opening the employer may offer during recovery. An employer—to ensure adherence to Washington Workers Compensation Laws—can check claim progress by contacting the claim manager by calling 1-800-547-8367. Moreover, the employer may sign-up online at the Claim and Account Center located here.

• Help Your Employee Return to Work: Getting the employee return work will reduce the financial impact of the employer’s workers compensation insurance Washington. Returning to work options include:

o Perform transitional work: have the worker perform some of his/her original duties only with lighter physical demands

o Have the employee work shorter hours

o Work in a modified job. Job modification refers to making adjustments to the work site, altering the job to meet the worker’s limitations or providing equipment, tools or appliances that enable the worker to work within his/her limitation

• How to Appeal or Protest a Workers Compensation Insurance Washington Claim: Injured workers and attending medical providers may protest the Washington Labor and Industries decisions.

o If an employer disagrees with a claim decision made by the Washington Labor and Industries, they have the right—according to Washington workers compensation laws—to protest a claim directly to the L&I or through an online submission. The employer may appeal directly to the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals; however, after receiving the appeal, the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals will provide the opportunity to reconsider the original decision

o If you disagree with the Washington Labor & Industry’s decision concerning the protest, the employer can appeal the claim decision. An employer, injured worker or attending medical professional who disagrees with the Labor and Industry’s decision may submit an appeal to the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals. These parties must submit their appeal as soon as possible. The following legal time limits apply:

§ Workers insurance compensation WA states that the individual has 60 days to appeal a decision

§ Workers insurance compensation WA states that the individual has 15 days to appeal a vocational determination

§ WA workers compensation laws state that the individual has 20 days for workers compensation insurance Washington providers to appeal a billing decision

How to Submit an Appeal:

The appeal for workers compensation insurance Washington should include the following:

• The appeal—according to WA workers compensation laws—must include the worker’s name and claim number (this information should be listed on every page)

• The appeal—according to WA workers compensation laws—must include a description and the date of the Washington Labor & Industry’s order

• The appeal—according to WA workers compensation laws—must include the Reason for the protest (why the party disagrees with the L&I’s decision

• The appeal—according to WA workers compensation laws—must include the type of relief requested

• The appeal—according to WA workers compensation laws—must include the appealing party’s name, telephone number and address

• The appeal—according to WA workers compensation laws—must include the city in which the appealing party would like the proceedings to be heard

• The appeal—according to WA workers compensation laws—must include the Any supporting information that can help the appealing party’s case

All appeals can be filed by mail or online at:

• To file online go to the following site: http://www.biia.wa.gov/

• To mail the appeal please send the appeal to:

Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals

PO Box 42401

Olympia, WA 98504-2401.

Settling Claims:

Washington workers compensation law defines a structured settlement as an agreement between the Labor and Industries board, the employer and the injured worker. Washington workers compensation law states that this agreement typically resolves all future benefits except for medical insurance/payments. A worker may still be eligible to receive treatment for conditions allowed on their workers compensation insurance Washington claim.

Washington workers compensation laws typically close the claim and the employee is paid an established amount in periodic payments spelled out in the agreement. To be eligible—according to Washington workers compensation laws—the worker must:

• WA workers compensation laws state that the individual must be at least 55 years or older.

• Workers insurance compensation WA states that the individual must have a valid workers’ compensation claims in Washington that is at least 180 days old.

An employer may initiate a structured settlement discussion for eligible worker’s claims by filing applications with the Washington Labor and Industries Organization. That being said, Washington workers compensation laws declares structured settlements as voluntary and the decisions on whether to enter into negotiations or settlements is up to the Washington Labor and Industries organization and worker.

To secure a structured settlement for workers compensation insurance Washington the employer should call the Washington Labor and Industries organization at 360-902-6101. In the application the employer should state why a structured settlement is more appropriate than continuing benefits. In the application—Washington workers compensation laws—asserts why the employer believes it would be in the worker’s best interest to settle via a structured agreement. The employer is required—according to Washington workers compensation laws—to submit any supporting documentation that has not already been shared with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.