The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, in August 2020, has upheld the presumption of compensability for workers at Hanford Nuclear Production Site. This presumption was made into law by the Washington State legislature via HB 1723. HB 1723 establishes a presumption that certain conditions and cancers to Hanford employees and contractors are occupational diseases, rebuttable […]
Coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease that it causes have affected us in unprecedented ways. Workers have been asked or told to work from home. Some workers have sustained injuries on the job and working from home. Will they be covered by Washington’s L&I Workers’ Compensation system? The rule is that workers who are acting in […]
Hanford workers are exposed to harmful vapors as a part of their job. With proper protective equipment, the risk of serious medical problems is lessened. Seattle Times investigation uncovered serious flaws in the protective equipment provided to some Hanford workers. Defective respirators were supplied to workers in the Hanford Plutonium Finishing Plant from 2012-2016. Death […]
For most workers injured on or before July 1, 2018, time-loss and pension benefit payments will increase by 5.5 percent based on the change in the state’s average wage. State law requires that benefits be recalculated each year to reflect the change in the state’s average wage from the previous calendar year. The COLA for 2019 […]
For most workers injured on or before July 1, 2019, time-loss and pension benefit payments will increase on July 1st based on the change in the state’s average wage. Last year injured workers saw an over 5% increase to their workers compensation benefits. With Washington’s continued job stability we are anxiously awaiting L&I’s announcement for […]
Personal Injury Claims in the Workplace: According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), nearly 6.5 million employees work at 252,000 construction sites across the nation on a daily basis. Construction work is naturally very hazardous and can result in devastating injuries if workers are not protected. Due to the high-risk nature of construction […]
If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a trench digging and collapsing retaining wall accident, you may be able to recover compensation for your injuries from the company responsible for the collapse. That is especially true if a third party failed to abide by applicable laws and regulations, resulting in injuries or death […]
No they don’t. Washington State’s current policy is to refuse to pay or reimburse for medical marijuana. L&I considers payment for drugs only if the FDA allows it for the condition prescribed (they don’t), or if prescribed for off label use for a drug supported by published scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness. Could Washington […]
Every July the Department of Labor and Industries announces the cost of living increase for injured workers receiving wage replacement benefits. Injured workers with injuries resulting in Permanent Total Disability will also receive the cost of living increase in their lifetime pension benefit paid by the Department of Labor and Industries. For workers with dates […]
The inspector general is the oversight office with the responsibility to prevent inefficient or illegal operation within the Department of Energy. The IG’s opinion matters. The Inspector General has written a report about how Hanford L&I claims have been handled. The report was released August 2018. The report findings are: The department of Energy does […]
Christopher Sharpe is the go to attorney for injured persons. His law firm is helpful, honest, and knowledgeable about workers' compensation and personal injury law in the State of Washington. Chris has been helping injured Washington State workers for over 30 years. He has built his practice on thoroughly educating, honestly helping, and successfully representing workers throughout Washington State. Public schools did not teach you how to survive the effects of a serious job injury and effectively handle an L&I claim. Our website does. It provides you an opportunity to get information about the medical, vocational, financial, and legal help you need to make your L&I claim work for you. Read the information on this website and then contact us with your questions. Taking the time to learn about injury law and your rights could be the smartest thing you've ever done. We are here to help you make good choices.
Sharpe Law Firm
2775 Harbor Avenue SW, Suite D
Seattle, WA 98126-2138
Phone:
(206) 343-1988
Fax:
(206) 652-4655
