This year’s Rising Medical Workers’ Compensation Benchmarking Study will examine two new industry differentiators. Now in its eighth year, the research gathered will provide insight about “how claims organizations are addressing the priorities and challenges identified by frontline claims staff in the study’s 2019 survey. Industry opportunities identified by the 1,200-plus frontline participants include greater……

From an August 14, 2020, Washington Labor and Industries announcement: L&I is extending to July 1, 2021 the requirement for certified claims administrator certifications that are expiring between March 20 and June 30, 2021. The extension is being made due to a number of issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns over bringing groups of……

The confidentiality of communications between attorneys and their clients, commonly referred to as attorney-client privilege, is a fundamental and critical aspect of the American legal system. Federal and State Courts consistently protect the sanctity of exchanges between attorneys and those they represent. In doing so, the Courts have described the attorney-client privilege as the bedrock……

To our Friends & Colleagues, Reinisch Wilson Weier supports Black Lives Matter. We support the value, dignity and beauty of all life. Recent tragic events remind us that some in our community live in fear on a daily basis because of the color of their skin. Reinisch Wilson Weier unequivocally opposes acts of hate and……

For those of you who may have heard rumblings that “preponderance IMEs” will no longer be permitted, recent statutory amendments in Senate Bill 6440 signed into law by Governor Inslee on March 27, 2020, confirm that the circumstances under which an independent medical examination (IME) can be requested will change to some degree. Effective January……

As mentioned in our most recent blog, “How to address Washington claims from telecommuters,” in light of the rise of telecommuting employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic, employers and claims adjusters need to be aware of the potential for increased claims involving injuries sustained away from the employer’s typical “premises.” In Oregon, a compensable injury……

Given Washington’s stay-at-home orders, many employers made quick arrangements to have a significant amount of their workforce “telecommute” from home. While this change to remote work is generally positive (allowing workers to keep jobs, assist the economy and keep vital work functions moving despite the COVID-19 impact on the world at large), employers may struggle……