Category: Education

Collecting an Overpayment of Benefits in Washington

A self-insured employer is certainly entitled to waive an overpayment of benefits. In general, however, overpayments of workers’ compensation benefits are debts that should be repaid. Unfortunately, it is the rare claimant that voluntarily agrees or has the immediate means to voluntarily repay the debt.

Workers’ Compensation Claims of Physiological Shock

Physiological shock, also known as circulatory shock or simply shock, is a failure of the circulatory system to provide adequate amounts of blood to the vital organs and peripheral tissues for introduction of oxygen and nutrients and removal of metabolic wastes. Shock is typically caused by significant blood loss and a concomitant reduction in cardiac and pulmonary performance and efficiency. This article briefly outlines the symptoms of physiological shock and the medicolegal and administrative considerations for determining whether an injured worker may suffer from compensable physiological shock.