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What do our three practice areas have in common?
First and foremost for us, it’s all about helping people. A person injured suffers losses– loss of a bodily function of some sort; potential loss of a job; and loss of wages and finances.
All of that needs to be valued, whether for time loss compensation on a workers’ comp claim or pain and suffering in a car accident.
We have the knowledge to understand the inter-relationship of claims to Washington State Workers’ Compensation, Personal Injury, and Social Security Disability and work to maximize benefits for our clients.
An injury which occurs on a job site could have been caused by someone other than a coworker or employer. If that is the case, then the injured worker would be entitled to immediate coverage through their Workers’ Compensation claim , but he or she can also bring an action against the negligent third party.
Any recovery against the negligent third party is subject to a lien by the Department of Labor & Industries, less the Department’s proportionate share of attorney fees and costs in the third party claim.
If someone is disabled to the point where they can’t return to work for more than six months, Social Security disability benefits come into play. This Federal program can provide back-up compensation for someone who is disabled and not expected to return to work for more than a year after an injury. There are compensation limits between Workers’ Compensation and Social Security Disability recipients. If the Workers’ Comp benefits end for some reason, Social Security Disability can provide some income to a family in need.
Timely applying for these benefits provides families with needed financial assistance. Workers’ Compensation benefits can pay first; then Social Security; and finally a third party recovery.