By Monica A. Nassar, Attorney at Law
The Oregon Court of Appeals recently clarified what standard applies to claims involving a pre-existing condition that was exacerbated or rendered symptomatic by a work injury. In Barnes v. Cache Valley Electric,…

By Mary F. Hannon, Attorney at Law
The Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals recently issued a decision providing further clarity in terms of how Maphet applies in situations where an employer authorizes treatment that the worker never pursues.
On December…

By Rebecca L. Fey, Attorney at Law
Effective April 1, 2025, an insurer or its representative has only two days to respond to a medical provider’s inquiry about claim status, accepted conditions, or MCO enrollment. This two day timeline excludes…

By Shawna G. Fruin, Attorney at Law
In March 2025, the Department of Labor and Industries (LNI) asked for community comment on proposed updates to its loss of earning power (LEP) policy,[1] prompting many in the self-insured community to…

By Isaac S. Conzatti, Attorney at Law
Ordering an IME is one of the most common and important steps to investigating and further processing a claim. This is why it can be extremely frustrating when a suitable IME slot is…

By Chris E. Fender, Attorney at Law
Recently, the Washington Department of Labor and Industries introduced a six-month-long third-party recording pilot program for independent medical examinations. Why introduce this pilot program, you ask? To answer that question, let’s start with…

By Blake J. Howell, Attorney at Law
Our goal at Reinisch Wilson is to avoid costly and burdensome litigation whenever possible. One area of increasing frequency relates to attending providers filing medical disputes for Department penalties alleging a failure to…