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Chehalis Workers Compensation Lawyer

Knowledgeable Chehalis Workers Compensation Represents Employees Who Have Suffered Work Injuries or Occupational Diseases in Lewis County and Throughout Washington State

Under Washington State law, an employee who suffers a workplace injury or an occupational disease is entitled to recover certain benefits from the workers’ compensation system. However, even when you have been injured or become ill because of your job, you may still face difficulties with getting the workers’ comp benefits you deserve. A Chehalis workers’ compensation lawyer from Smith Duran Law can help.

Our attorneys understand the physical and emotional consequences that you can experience from a work injury or occupational disease. That’s why we fight hard to prevent L&I or your insurer from denying your claim or cutting off the benefits you need for your recovery. We also know how difficult it can be to get the medical treatment and rehabilitation services you need for your injuries or medical condition. We offer compassionate and empathetic legal representation that also vigorously pursues justice for you.

If you have sustained a work-related injury or have been diagnosed with an occupational disease related to your work, you may have the right to obtain financial benefits and payments for your recovery. Reach out to Smith Duran Law for a free initial case evaluation to discuss how a Chehalis workers’ compensation lawyer from our firm can assist you in pursuing your claim. 

The Workers’ Compensation Process in Chehalis

After suffering a work injury in Chehalis, you have one year to file a workers’ compensation claim with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries or with your employer if they are self-insured for workers’ compensation coverage. If you are diagnosed with an occupational disease, you have two years from your diagnosis to file your claim.

If L&I or your employer accepts your workers’ comp claim, you can usually expect to begin receiving benefit checks within 14 days. However, if your claim is denied, you have the right to either protest the decision by filing a written protest within 60 days, or by appealing the decision to the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals within 60 days of receipt of the denial notice. 

Benefits Available under the Washington State Workers’ Compensation System

Chehalis Workers Compensation Lawyer

In Washington State, an employee who suffers a work injury or an occupational disease may be entitled to obtain certain financial benefits to help them recover and get back to work, if possible. Workers’ comp benefits that a Chehalis workers’ compensation lawyer at Smith Duran Law can help you obtain in your case may include:

  • Payment of medical and rehabilitation expenses
  • Reimbursement of qualifying travel expenses to and from medical appointments and procedures
  • Reimbursement for personal property of yours that may have been damaged or destroyed in the workplace accident
  • Partial replacement of wages/income lost if you miss time from work during recovery
  • Disability benefits if you sustain permanent partial disabilities
  • Pension benefits if you are permanently disabled from any gainful employment
  • Vocational rehabilitation and job placement services to help you find new work if your condition prevents you from returning to your old job

What Can a Chehalis Workers’ Compensation Lawyer from Smith Duran Law Do to Ensure You Get the Benefits You Deserve After a Workplace Accident?

If you have suffered a work injury or occupational disease, let a Chehalis workers’ compensation lawyer at Smith Duran Law advocate for your rights. When you turn to our firm for help with your workers’ comp claim, you can expect us to:

  • Secure evidence and documents that we may need to prepare and pursue your workers’ comp claim
  • Ensure that your claim is timely filed with L&I or your employer
  • Calculate the benefits that you should be entitled to
  • Protest or appeal a denial of your claim or of certain benefits that you need and deserve

Our legal team will handle all the details of your workers’ compensation claim so that you can keep focused on your treatment and rehabilitation. 

Contact Smith Duran Law for a Free Consultation to Talk with a Chehalis Workers’ Compensation Lawyer About the Next Steps to Take in Your Claim

After you have been injured at work, contact our firm for a free, no-obligation case review. A Chehalis workers’ compensation lawyer can go over your legal options for pursuing a claim for financial benefits to help you recover from your work injury or occupational disease. 

About Chehalis, WA

Chehalis is a city in Lewis County, Washington, and is the county seat of Lewis County. Chehalis was incorporated in 1883; during the early days of settlement, Chehalis was largely a logging and railroad town. The city is named for the Chehalis Native American people who originally inhabited the area, and for the nearby Chehalis River. Over the past few decades, Chehalis has shifted its economic focus to serve the manufacturing and warehousing industries. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Workers’ Compensation in Chehalis

Can I file a personal injury lawsuit if I was injured on the job?

Potentially yes. While you normally cannot file a personal injury lawsuit against your employer for a work injury or occupational disease but are instead limited to a workers’ comp claim, you may have a personal injury claim if your injury or disease were the fault of a third party not affiliated with your employer such as if you were injured in a motor vehicle accident on the job or a workplace accident caused by defectively designed or manufactured equipment or machinery.

What if my employer doesn’t provide workers’ compensation coverage?

Washington is considered a “monopolistic” state for workers’ compensation coverage. This means that all employers who are required to provide workers’ comp coverage to their employees must purchase insurance through the state fund administered by L&I. An employee who is injured while working for an employer who is required to have workers’ comp coverage may still be entitled to obtain workers’ comp benefits, while the employer may be liable for penalties and fines for not paying workers’ compensation premiums to the state fund.

  • Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

    The Department of Labor and Industries manages claims for injuries at work. You are entitled to money for lost wages, medical treatment, vocational retraining, loss of body function, and in some cases a pension.

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  • Personal Injury Attorney

    If your injury was caused by someone other than a co‑worker, an auto accident, or defective equipment, you may be entitled to additional compensation. Our personal injury attorney in Tacoma will evaluate your case.

    LEARN MORE
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