Many people working in Washington hurt themselves on the job. If you suffer a work-related injury that is serious enough to keep you out of work, you may decide to file a workers’ compensation claim through the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.
Per the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, you, the entity that employs you and your physician all have the right to protest or appeal in the event that the department denies your claim for workers’ compensation.
Protesting an L&I decision
You must protest a denied L&I claim within a particular timeframe. More specifically, you must do so within 60 days of receiving L&I’s decision to deny your claim. However, if the decision involves vocational benefits, you must protest a denied decision within 15 days. To protest the L&I decision, you must send a letter outlining why you think the denial is inappropriate. You should also include information about medical treatments you currently receive and the current prognosis for your condition.
Appealing an L&I decision
You also have 60 days to appeal an L&I decision. When submitting your appeal, be sure to include all necessary information. Some of this information includes the date L&I made its decision, a description of the decision and an outline of why you feel the decision is invalid. You must also include your personal information and preference for where additional proceedings might take place.
Failing to submit all required information within the required timeframe when protecting or appealing an L&I decision may leave you with limited, if any, options.