Permanent Partial Disability

Permanent Partial Disability Awards are a right

— Not a Settlement of Your Case.

Many workers are told that the check that they receive when their claim is closed is to settle their case. This check for the permanent partial disability with which you are left due to your injury is not a settlement of your claim, but it is a legal or statutory award for the disability caused by the injury. If the doctor that rated your level of permanent impairment failed to correctly rate your impairment, you may appeal your award, and: You may cash the check mailed to you even though you wish to have us appeal your rating, as long as you have us file an appeal for you within 60 days of your receipt of the order awarding the permanent partial disability. While we may be able to obtain a fee examination for you, if such cannot be negotiated, you may wish to set aside some of the awards to pay for an independent medical examination.

Partnering With An Effective Personal Injury Attorney

Calbom & Schwab has been defending the rights and benefits of workers in Washington since 1954. We have built a strong reputation for ethical and reliable practice. We work closely with you to understand your case and build effective strategies for ensuring the protection of your rights.

Common ailments and conditions that can lead to Permanent Partial Disability include:

• Hearing Loss
• Neck or Spinal Injury
• Injury to any part of your body where you have lost partial use of, e.g., loss of motion of a finger, arm, leg or foot
• Head Trauma – e.g., brain injury with partial loss of memory, ability to think as quickly as in the past, personality changes
• Mental Injury – Emotional stress or trauma
• Chronic Pain

When there is no further treatment that can benefit your injury, the Department of Labor & Industries assesses permanent disability. This is the department’s estimate of a loss of bodily function and unfortunately, it is not always accurate. When it’s not, it makes sense to have a strong attorney on your side.

Appealing Your Partial Disability Claim

When you first receive a check from the Department of Labor & Industries, it is considered the closure of your case. You only have 60 days from the date of receipt to appeal your case.

With contingency based fees and a free initial consultation, appealing your claim with a qualified attorney doesn’t mean giving up your check. We only collect payment if your appeal is successful. You can put our 50 years of experience to work on your appeal without putting the money in the bank at risk.

Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your worker’s compensation issue or permanent partial disability claim.