Losing a limb, hand, or eye is a life-altering experience for anyone. Many amputees are grateful to be alive after their brush with tragedy in a vehicle or at a construction site accident. Yet after the initial shock subsides, injured workers must still learn to cope with the aftermath of their accident, recover from their amputation, and adjust to life with a disability. The amputation injury lawyers at Emery | Reddy, PLLC believe that all victims deserve an exceptional level of compassion and commitment from the legal team representing them.

Compassion And Experience

After the initial ordeal of an amputation, injured workers often face another round of difficulties as they manage pain, medical bills, lost wages, and emotional stress. We know how challenging this can be for you and your family, and we are committed to supporting you through every step of the process with a full range of legal services. Knowing that you are represented by an experienced Seattle amputation injury lawyers who will work tirelessly on your behalf can significantly lighten your burden, allowing you to focus on the most important priority of all: your amputation recovery.

Physical And Financial Aspects Of Amputation Recovery

In the immediate aftermath of amputation, your wounds will require significant time to heal. Patients sometimes experience phantom pains due to continued activity within the nerve endings. Over the long term, most amputees learn to become mobile again and work with a missing body part.

Financially, the short-term costs for an injured worker can include ambulance and emergency room services, surgery, medication, and other follow-up care. It is also crucial to closely monitor the amputation to prevent infection while wounds heal. During this process, workers will inevitably miss work and need replacements for missed wages.

Long-term financial losses can include medical equipment, prosthetics, rehabilitation services, occupational therapy, and often mental health therapy or vocational rehabilitation. Some individuals with amputations find it challenging to continue their former career path. Construction workers, mechanics, cooks, or repair workers may find it impossible to resume the activities necessary for those jobs; in these cases, vocational rehabilitation services are critical to the amputation recovery process.

If you have suffered any form of amputation from a workplace accident, call the Emery | Reddy legal team for a free case review.

Is My Amputation Injury A Third-Party Claim Or An L&I Claim?

Third-Party Claim

A third-party claim is one in which someone other than your employer or co-worker is responsible for your injury. If you have been injured on the job due to someone else’s actions or negligence, you may be entitled to additional compensation through a third-party claim, which combines your L&I claim with a personal injury claim using the same facts.

Unlike workers’ compensation payments, there is no limit to the amount of compensation an injured worker may seek in third-party damages. Third-party claims are private matters and are typically litigated directly with the Washington State Superior Court.

If your amputation injury leaves you out of work for an extended period of time,  you may be entitled to compensation for pain, suffering, and lost wages.

L&I Claim

An L&I claim results from a workplace injury or occupational illness. An L&I claim is monitored and managed by an L&I Claim Manager who sees the process through from initial claim filing to closure. If all goes as planned, your claim is accepted by L&I and you will receive certain benefits.

Our Seattle L&I Attorneys Will Help You Recover:

• Medical benefits: L&I medical benefits will cover all medical costs associated with your claim. This can include doctor appointments, treatments, surgeries, occupational therapy, and prescription medications.
• Time-loss and wage replacement: If you are approved for time-loss benefits, you may receive compensation for lost wages and vocational rehabilitation.
• Damages for pain and suffering: L&I award amounts vary widely and typically fall into three categories:

1. 1. L&I Disability Pensions: a life-long benefit awarded to injured workers who will never be able to return to any gainful employment due to a severe or life-threatening injury.
2. 2. Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) Awards: a one-time sum paid to injured workers when their L&I claim is closed. The worker can re-enter the workforce following a PPD award.
3. 3. Claim Resolution Settlement Agreement (CRSA): an L&I settlement option where all parties agree to close an injury claim for a specified amount. When agreeing to this settlement type, the injured worker exchanges all future benefits, except medical, for the payment.

We understand that many families depend on the income of an injured worker, and our L&I and amputation injury attorneys are dedicated to winning the benefits and compensation to which you are entitled by law. Our practice was founded on a commitment to advocating for workers’ rights, and we are proud of our record protecting the injured and disabled. Call us today to learn how Emery | Reddy can help you with your amputation L&I claim.

Your L&I Claim Is Worth More If You Also Have An Employment Law Claim

A significant number of L&I workers’ compensation claims often involve additional legal claims such as employment law or third-party claims. Many people file their claims without seeking representation from an L&I attorney and thus never discover that, in addition to their L&I claim, they may be missing out on the ability to file an employment law claim or a third-party claim. Pursuing additional legal action has the potential to significantly increase a claim’s overall compensation.

What Is An Employment Law Claim?

Many injured workers find that their employer has taken, or plans to take, adverse action against them because they filed an L&I claim or they are out of work. You can file a lawsuit against your employer for several reasons, including retaliation, wrongful termination, disability discrimination, or unpaid wages. An L&I attorney who is experienced in both L&I workers’ compensation law and employment law can help you with your L&I claim while simultaneously filing a federal or state law claim for the violation of workers’ rights by your employer.

Who Is At Fault For A Workplace Injury?

L&I is a no-fault system, ensuring compensation for any workplace injury. However, if a third party is involved in causing the injury, you may be able to pursue legal action against them for additional compensation under third-party claims.

How Do I Know If I Have A Case?

If you have an L&I claim or wonder if you have an injury case, ask yourself the following:

• Have you been denied the medical care benefits to which you are legally entitled?
• Has L&I asked you to undergo an Independent Medical Exam (IME)?
• Do you have questions about the L&I claim process that you don’t understand?

If any of the above apply to you, you may have a case!

Navigating an L&I claim can be difficult and very time-consuming, especially when you’re ill or injured. You want to focus on healing and make sure your bills are paid, but if you don’t file things properly or on time, your health, home, and job could be in jeopardy. Many individuals miss out on much-needed L&I benefits because they don’t understand what to do or how to get the most compensation for their injuries. If you are experiencing any challenges in your case, a labor and industries attorney can assist you. By contacting Emery | Reddy as soon as possible after you’ve been injured, we can help you avoid the common pitfalls of filing an L&I claim. Our Seattle L&I attorneys are here for you every step of the way.

Emery | Reddy Can Help You With Your L&I Claim

Emery | Reddy, PLLC is the only law firm in Washington State that is equipped to provide comprehensive representation on your case from every angle. Our Seattle L&I attorneys thoroughly assess every case to determine if our clients have additional claims, and at times this can extend far beyond the underlying workers’ compensation claim.

If you have been injured, call Emery | Reddy today to speak with our legal team for a free case review. Please remember to have your L&I claim number readily available.

Want More Information?

Claim Value

To determine the value of your L&I claim, you first need to understand the different types of L&I awards offered in Washington State.

L&I FAQ

The L&I workers’ compensation process is anything but straightforward. Find out the answers to your L&I workers’ comp questions today.

L&I—Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance that provides wage replacement and medical benefits to injured workers.

Meet The Team

The L&I and personal injury accident attorneys at Emery | Reddy are passionate about helping workers with L&I claims and employment law issues. We Help Workers®: it’s our motto and it’s what drives us every day.

We know how L&I and big companies think, and we understand the tactics they use. Our labor and industries attorneys use that knowledge coupled with over two decades of experience to help our clients get access to the L&I benefits to which they are legally entitled and hold employers accountable when they break the law.

If you’re struggling with an L&I claim, injury, or legal issue at work, please call us and see how Emery | Reddy can help you today.