Laws regarding injury law and insurance are extremely complex. To ensure that you receive the full compensation to which you are entitled to by law, hiring an experienced Seattle L&I attorney is generally the most reliable option. Small claims court can sometimes handle matters involving minor sums of money; however, an injured party should always consult an L&I attorney in cases that involve larger claims. Read our personal injury FAQ below to learn more.

Do I Have To Pay Taxes On My Personal Injury Recovery?

Awards to make a person whole as a result of personal injury are NOT taxable as income.

Will My Insurance Premiums Increase As A Result Of Litigating?

No. An insurance company may not retaliate against you for enforcing your statutory or contractual rights. If you were not at fault for the accident, your rates should not increase. If your rates have gone up, and you were not at fault, you should call Emery | Reddy, PLLC immediately for a free case review.

How Much Can I Recover In Damages?

In Washington State, pain and suffering damages are awarded to compensate individuals for their injuries. These damages are received in addition to compensation for lost wages, property damage, and medical bills. Most insurance companies will not offer you damages for pain and suffering unless you hire a Seattle personal injury attorney.

What Should I Do If I’ve Been Injured?

1. 1. Report your injury or illness: L&I or your self-insured employer must receive your Report of Accident within 1 year of your injury date to file a claim. Occupational illness claims must be received within two years from the date of your doctor’s diagnosis.
2. 2. Seek medical attention: Your doctor will send the report to L&I or your self-insured employer. If your doctor is one of the many healthcare providers that do not handle workers’ compensation claim cases, you can find an L&I-approved doctor on the L&I website. If your L&I claim is approved, L&I will cover the initial visit even if it wasn’t with one of their approved doctors.
3. 3. File a claim: If you are injured at work, you have three options to file a Washington State L&I claim:

• File by phone at 561.3453.
• File online through the L&I website’s File Fast tool.
• File at your doctor’s office.

Note that if you work with a self-insured employer, you must file your claim with them.

4. 4. Hire a personal injury attorney to represent you: Make sure to keep a journal of everything that transpires. We also recommend that you keep an electronic version of your journal to forward to your Seattle L&I attorney, if necessary.

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 a personal injury 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 that 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.

What Is A 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.

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 in the workplace 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 settlements 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.

Claim Process

Navigating an L&I claim can be extremely complex and time-consuming, even when you’re not the injured or sick party.

Meet The Team

The personal injury 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 what drives us every day.

We know how L&I and big companies think, and we understand the tactics they use. Our Seattle L&I 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 to and hold employers accountable when they break the law.

With our law office location in Seattle, we serve communities throughout the region, including Vancouver, Bellevue, Everett, Olympia, Shoreline, Spokane, and Tacoma. 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.