In what is clearly an unfortunate circumstance regarding a worker’s later diagnosis of brain cancer, the Washington Court of Appeals ruled that the common law application of res judicata and collateral estoppel do not bar a worker from filing a new claim despite prior denial of the same claim. This ruling potentially undermines the finality…

You are a happy claims adjuster who has been diligently working on your claims: processing payments, making compensability decisions, authorizing appropriate treatment and engaging in the numerous other activities that make up your busy week. You’ve just finished processing your final time loss payment of the day and updated your diary list. You are on…

Members of the Reinisch Wilson Weier PC team came together for the St. Andrew Clinic (SALC) 2018 Annual Race for Justice 5k race on Saturday, June 16. The firm was a platinum event sponsor, raised over $1,000 in individual donations and ran (or briskly walked) our hearts out. For those unfamiliar with the clinic, SALC…

Genuine. Amazing. Big Time. Moral Compass. Mentor. These are just a few of the descriptions of Attorney Gene Platt, who retires (again!) this time from Reinisch Wilson Weier PC on June 1, 2018. Gene joined the firm in June 2015, in part because his wife said he couldn’t retire yet. Attorneys and staff embraced Gene’s…

In a September 17, 2017 decision, the Washington Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals addressed the appropriate wage rate for a worker who sustains a second injury while working light duty under an open claim.[1] In this workers’ compensation claim, the worker was employed for some time as a truck driver and filed a 2014 occupational…