What if my Industrial Injury Worsens a Physical Condition I Already had?

The Washington courts have established that a worker need not be in perfect physical shape at the time of any injury or occupational disease. That means if someone already has a symptomatic physical condition or disability, is able to work, and an injury or occupational disease makes that physical condition or disability worse, then the injured worker is still entitled to receive benefits. An example of this would be someone with a prior back condition who is able to work. That person suffers a new injury to his or her back and files a new claim. You have an allowable claim if there is medical opinion that the prior back condition worsened as a result of the injury.