Fighting for the Underdog in Central Washington Since 1954

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Calbom & Schwab Law Group: We Listen to the Injured and Make Them Heard

If you’ve suffered a serious on-the-job injury or got hurt in an accident, you might not know your legal rights. Calbom & Schwab Law Group, PLLC can help. No matter who you are, we’re here for you. Our attorneys will make sure you have an advocate on your side. We can guide you through the legal process and help out with any other challenges you face.

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Reviews And Testimonials

Our lawyers often see former clients out in the community, like at hockey games or at the store. It’s great catching up with people we’ve been able to help. These client reviews give a sense of what we’ve done for others and why we’re so committed to sticking up for those in need.

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Professional, Caring, and Easy to Work With

Excellent people to work with while going through hard times. Very skilled and knowledgeable! Thank you for everything you have helped me with!... Read More

- Erika M. Cox

An Attorney Who Sees You as a Person, Not a Number

Dedicated & Compassionate Attorney Jeffrey Schwab is an outstanding and compassionate attorney. I suffered a work related injury which left me disabled and struggling to find care within the L&... Read More

- Sheri

Understanding, Dedicated, and Always Available

Mr. Schwab and his team are amazing. They really do care about their clients. We could have not asked for better lawyers and team to have handled our case. We highly recommend Calbom & Schwab.... Read More

- Araceli

Clear and Helpful Guidance with My L&I Case

I reached out to Colbom & Schwab regarding OJI questions and, the paralegal was very professional and immediately scheduled an appointment for me to speak to an attorney. I spoke with Jeff Schw... Read More

- JFH

More Than Legal Help — Genuine Care and Respect

I so highly recommend using Calbom Schwab law firm for your legal needs. In particular Ms. Courtney Bastian and her paralegal Sally Foster, were really a dream! Highly knowledgeable and professiona... Read More

- Dawni

A Team That Truly Cares About Their Clients

Courtney Bastian and Sally Foster made my claim a success. Courtney’s knowledge and personalit... Read More

- Lisa

Persistent and Thorough Support Through a Complex Case

Those searching for a PI/MVA attorney look no further! Make the call to Calbom & Schwab. It was a pleasure to work with Ashley, Attorney & Sally, Paralegal both are pleasant as well profess... Read More

- Kyle

Our Lawyers Know How Injuries Affect Your Life

Our attorneys have deep roots in Central Washington, with Spanish-speaking team members at every location. In addition, some of our lawyers have suffered major injuries. We understand how disabilities and chronic pain affect people’s lives. These personal experiences inspire us to fight harder for you. If you can’t come see us due to injury, we will go to meet you so you can be heard.

Meet Our Team

Many clients tell us, “You’re the first people who actually listened to what I had to say and gave me advice.” No matter who you are or where you come from, our lawyers are always going to give you the time of day. Behind the suits, our attorneys are human beings just like you.

Frequently Asked Questions

This is just a sample of the questions we get from clients about personal injury, workers’ compensation, and Social Security Disability (SSD) cases. If you ever have any questions about these topics or are not sure about your legal options after getting seriously hurt, don’t be afraid to contact us. We’re happy to answer any questions you have.

More FAQs

The Department often schedules repeat examinations in what seems like an attempt to avoid making a final decision on a case. There is law that suggests that the Department must have good cause to force a worker to go to repeated examinations. However, at this time, good cause has been interpreted to mean almost any silly reason given by the Department. There is some point where the courts will allow one to say no to more exams, but it would have to be such an abuse of discretion that it would offend almost everyone before a refusal to attend would be supported in court. You can still refuse to go for good cause such as distance to the exam, illness, transportation, or personal knowledge of or past experience with the examiner which causes you to find him or her offensive. Learn more about workers’ compensation claims.

Video Transcript

At what point in time should you hire an attorney? It’s not always necessary to hire an attorney immediately. Go through treatment, see if you get better, negotiate with the insurance adjuster, and then give an attorney a call to discuss. In other cases it’s imperative to get a lawyer right away; for example a car accident case.

Most importantly ask – do we need to hire an attorney? If you are unsure of whether or not to hire somebody, call us today and we’ll give you the simple answer.

 

Video Transcript:

That’s a very good question. I oftentimes run into individuals who have an on the job injury, and they are directed by their employer to go see a specific doctor. They are told they must go see this doctor. Under the Industrial Insurance Act, that’s wrong.

Once an individual suffers and on the job injury, they can choose whichever doctor they want to see. If you’re an injured worker, you do not have to go see a doctor that your employer wants you to go see. One of the problems is that sometimes doctors, or clinics even, are contracted with employers. And you have to ask yourself as an injured worker, do you want to go see a doctor like that? Do you really think that the doctor, or that clinic, is going to be completely unbiased since they have an economic or financial contract with their employer of injury?

Q: Are there circumstances under which a person can be reimbursed for taking care of a member of their family who was injured on the job?

A: The law provides for payment of personal care services provided by others to an injured worker. These personal care services have to be prescribed by a physician. The Department is reluctant to pay family members, believing that in many circumstances they are not as capable of providing the necessary services as professionals such as visiting nurses. However, the Department has recently established a set of guidelines for assisting family members, at least in head injury cases, in providing the necessary care. The Department is even willing to provide supervision of the family members by a trained professional to assure quality care is being provided to the disabled worker. This is a wonderful change in the Department policy which should reduce the cost to the Department and provide a loving caretaker for the seriously disabled worker. Learn more about workers’ compensation claims.

Q: Almost a year ago, I twisted my knee when my foot slipped on a stair at work. I have continued to work since then, but my knee has gotten worse. I did not file an accident report with my employer at the time of my accident because my injury did not seem too bad at the time. What can I do to see about getting treatment for my knee now?

A: A traumatic event occurring in the course of employment, is generally the definition of an industrial injury in the State of Washington. As long as you can show that the injury occurred while at the work site, it should be allowed and recognized by the Department of Labor and Industries. However, there is a time limit for filing claims for industrial injuries. A report of accident must be filed with the Department of Labor and Industries within one year of the date of the accident. It is not necessary that you specifically report it to your employer at the time the event occurred. The one year limit for filing these claims with the Department is strictly upheld by the courts. I would advise you to go see a doctor immediately, have the doctor help you fill out an accident report form and mail it to the Department of Labor and Industries. The longer you wait, the more you risk not getting it filed within one year of the date of accident. If you go beyond one year without filing the accident report, even if you had ten people willing to sign an affidavit that this knee problem started from an injury occurring in the course of your employment, you would be prohibited, by law, from filing such a claim. Learn more about workers’ compensation claims.

Millions Recovered for Clients: Part of the Difference We Make in People’s Lives

Over the decades, our law firm has secured multiple seven-figure and six-figure recoveries for our clients. But we don’t just take cases because of their dollar value. Our lawyers also work on cases because of how they impact state laws and the lives of working people all over Washington. These kinds of cases are rare, but our attorneys like to work on them because they matter.

 

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