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…

The implications of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic is permeating daily life on an increasingly greater scale. An earlier Reinisch Wilson Weier blog (linked here) discussed the relevant legal analysis if you receive a claim for COVID-19, as a work-related condition. What about impact of COVID-19 on active claims in an indirect fashion? Below are…

A few weeks ago, we shared our initial thoughts on coronavirus (“COVID-19”) and workers’ compensation. Since then, the World Health Organization classified COVID-19 as a pandemic, and the Department of Labor and Industries (“Department”) has offered additional guidance on how to handle COVID-19 claims. The attorneys at Reinisch Wilson Weier continue to closely monitor this…