Workers’ Compensation

Protect Yourself

If you have been injured at work, you are entitled to workers’ compensation. The workers’ compensation system was designed to provide benefits to workers who are injured during the course of their job, without having to prove that the employer or coworkers were at fault.

Benefits include:

Future or ongoing medical care
Lost wages
Medical Bills
Retraining

Highly Experienced Legal Team

Our legal team is well versed in all legal areas relating to workers’ compensation, including:

Claim management
Loss of earning power claims
Superior court appeals
Permanent partial disability claims
Permanent total disability and pension claims
Time-loss compensation claims
Vocational issues and retraining
Washington State Board of Industrial
Insurance Appeals

For over 25 years, Paul W. Bryan and his reliable staff have been recovering financial compensation from insurance companies and the Department of Labor and Industries.

Call us today

Social Security Overpayment Nightmares

Mar 8, 2023

Social Security Overpayment Nightmares

Nothing is more confusing or nonsensical even, than the way social security and workers’ compensation benefits offsets interact. This collision often results in mistakes causing problems for the recipient. If you have questions about how social security retirement or disability interacts with your workers comp pension or benefits, or you have received notice of an overpayment, you should have your situation reviewed by someone experienced in untangling this bag of snakes. In a nutshell, this is how it works:

If a pensioner collects SSD as well as their pension from the dept BEFORE they reach the age of 62 then SSD will pay the clients FULL entitled monthly payment. The pensioner’s workers’ comp pension will be lower (or offset).
If a workers’ comp pension claimant receives a notice from SSD that they have an over-payment; then chances are pretty good that they should receive an underpayment from the department for their workers’ comp pension.
AFTER a workers’ comp pensioner turns 62 then the offsets reverse. Their monthly SSD entitlement is reduced, and they will receive their full workers’ comp pension entitlement.
When the workers’ comp pensioner turns retirement age (every retirement age is different, so the pensioner would need to contact SSA to see what their individual retirement age is); then the offset will be reversed once again. The client’s SSD benefits will change from Social Security Disability to Social Security retirement. This should be the last offset change to happen. Then their workers’ comp pension will be lowered (offset) one last time.

It is possible you are the one being underpaid. If you are currently collecting a monthly pension stipend from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, then we will be happy to review your situation if you think you need some help figuring it out. We do NOT represent Social Security Disability claimants, so therefore, we cannot contact the SSD / SSA on your behalf.

The Night Before Christmas (an Injured Worker’s Edition)

Dec 13, 2022

‘Twas the night before Christmas when Daddy found out

That the IME doctor had thrown his claim out.

“Preexisting conditions” was the reason, he said

Now please stop your crying and go up to bed.

How could they do this? I cried through my tears,

My daddy’s been strong and healthy for years.

Now all of a sudden, since he fell at his work,

They’ve pushed him aside and he feels like a jerk.

His doctor agrees that the fall is to blame,

But the L& I people don’t care. What a shame.

So, Christmas won’t happen at our house, I guess

Unless I can find a way out of this mess.

It’s justice we want and justice we’ll get,

‘cause of something I heard from a lawyer we met.

If an injury at work is the start of your pain,

Or makes it much worse, you have a good claim.

Case law is clear on this matter, and yet,

The L& I people always forget.

They want you to quit, but never give up,

My message to daddy is, “let’s lawyer up!”

“Call one from WSAJ, and please don’t delay”,

“I already have, is what he did say,”

So, with visions of justice alive in my head

I snuggled myself down in my cozy warm bed.

Sugarplums come later, it’s lawyers tonight

For they know the law and they know how to fight,

I can dream of a future where things are made right.

So, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

What an Injured Worker Needs to Know About an IME (Independent Medical Exam)

Nov 1, 2022

 
Have you been injured at work, on the job? 
Do you have an LNI workers’ compensation claim? 
Have you been asked to do an IME (Independent Medical Exam)? 

It's a good idea to get some coaching before you go. Anything you say during an IME may
be used against you at a later date. 

If you've been ordered to an IME by your employer or Labor and Industries, it usually means
they think you have a claim they can get out of. 

Most IME doctors are retired or military and earn extra income by denying claims; their 
main job is to overrule your doctor's opinion. 

If you get denied by an IME exam, DON’T GIVE UP! That's exactly what they want. Protest it 
right away and get some legal advice. Don't let them get away with it. Call myself, or a 
lawyer who is a member of the Washington State Association of Justice and specializes in 
workers’ compensation cases, because they will know best how your case should be handled. 
We truly care and will be on your side. 

Paul