Do I have a claim?

If you are unsure if you have a claim or would like to pursue a claim, please call us. We will be happy to listen to you and provide you with a free case evaluation. If you have been injured due to the fault of someone else or if you have been injured at work, you likely have a claim.

If your injury was caused by the neglect and carelessness of someone else, you have a claim and are entitled to compensation for your losses. You may recover compensation for your past and future medical bills, past and future lost wages, emotional distress, property damage, pain and suffering, disfigurement, permanent impairments, and loss of the ability to engage in your usual activities. You have three years from the date of injury to file a claim in a court of law.

If you were injured on the job, it does not matter who caused your injury. Washington’s workers’ compensation system is a fault free system. You are entitled to benefits, even if you caused your own injury. However, if someone who does not work for your employer caused your on the job injury, you may have what is called a “third party claim” against that person.

Workers’ compensation benefits include time loss benefits and loss of earning power benefits (wage replacement), medical treatment, and compensation for permanent impairments. If your injury prevents you from returning to your job of injury, you may be entitled to vocational retraining. Vocational retraining may take up to two years, and you will receive time loss during that time. If you are permanently unable to return to the workforce, you may be entitled to a pension, which means you will get a monthly check for the rest of your life.

You should be aware that there are rather short time limitations for filing workers’ compensation claims and for appealing orders issued by the Department of Labor and Industries or self-insured employers.

If you have been denied Social Security Disability benefits, you may have a claim if you cannot work because of a medical condition that has lasted or is expected to last at least one year or result in death. You must also have worked a specified number of years, depending on your age, and have paid into the social security system during those years. If you qualify, you will be entitled to monthly benefits based on your average lifetime earnings. Certain members of your family may also qualify for benefits. You will be entitled to Medicare coverage after you have received disability benefits for two years.

To Learn more about your rights, please give us a call at [253] 756-0333.