Are Washington employers liable after authorization of treatment in the wake of Maphet v. Clark County? By Gina Ko, Sep 04, 2019 Gina Ko To authorize or not to authorize? Authorization of treatment is a tricky issue for Washington self-insured employers trying to strike a balance between restoring an injured worker’s function and running afoul of Washington’s compensable consequences doctrine, which can hold an employer or insurer responsible for issues stemming from treatments provided under…

The Firm goes to the dogs (and cats) By Reinisch Wilson Weier PC, Aug 29, 2019 August is pet month at Reinisch Wilson Weier! Rhinoteers in both Bellevue and Portland offices helped out at pet shelters. In Bellevue, four volunteered at PAWS (Progressive Animal Welfare Society) in Lynnwood, Washington, on August 24, 2019, helping with grounds maintenance. (Those who help with animal care go through extensive training and make a weekly commitment to a…

Oregon employers, insurers must now accept/deny a combined condition to apportion impairment By Trisha Hole, Aug 09, 2019 In a very disappointing decision for employers and insurers issued on August 8, 2019, the Oregon Supreme Court held that the presence of a legally cognizable preexisting condition is no longer sufficient to apportion permanent impairment in the absence of combined condition processing. In Caren v. Providence Health System Oregon, [1] the injured worker sustained a low…

Team Rhino at the Defeat Multiple Myeloma 5k By Reinisch Wilson Weier PC, Jun 25, 2019 Members of the Firm’s Bellevue office participated in Defeat Multiple Myeloma held June 23rd at Magnuson Park on beautiful Lake Washington in Seattle to support research and awareness for multiple myeloma cancer at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Members of Team Rhino who participated in Defeat Myeloma included: James Nielsen, Lynsey Carlson, Jongpyo Lim, Alisha Lai, Rachel…

House Bill 3022 in light of the Oregon Supreme Court ruling in Elvia Garcia-Solis By Caroline Hopkins, Jun 11, 2019 Caroline A. Hopkins Oregon House Bill 3022 recently passed the House and now awaits Senate action. HB 3022 proposes to amend ORS 656.245(1)(c) to make diagnostic services compensable if they are reasonable and necessary to identify the nature or extent of a medical condition that may be related to a work injury or occupational…

An outstanding achievement by one of our own By Reinisch Wilson Weier PC, Jun 11, 2019 Our very own Christy Doornink has become a member of the exclusive Portland Business Journal 40 Under 40 class of 2019. The Journal announced its 2019 class on April 16, 2019; click here to see this announcement. The Portland Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 recognition is an exclusive list of “influential, dynamic and powerful individuals shaping our region’s future.”…

Rising Medical Solutions has launched its annual Workers’ Compensation Benchmarking Study and are looking for your opinions! For the first time since the study’s inception seven years ago, the research is focused on the frontline claims professional’s perspective. Your role as a claims professional is critical to the success of claims operations and overall claims outcomes. Thank you in advance for your participation. It is the hope of Rising Medical that this study will help…