A recent Court of Appeals decision, Joy v. Department of Labor and Industries, held that as a matter of law, an injured worker is unable to obtain medical procedures that are precluded by the Health Technology Clinical Committee (HTCC). The HTCC is a committee of 11 practicing health care professionals who review scientific, evidence based reports about whether certain medical devices, procedures and tests are safe and work as promoted. The HTCC determines whether certain types of treatment will be covered under a State purchased health care program, regardless of the individual facts and circumstances. This includes workers compensation claims. Read a review of their health technology assessment findings here. Continue reading There is no Joy for the Injured Worker in the Joy Case →

All parties have the same appeal rights. Any party (employer or injured worker) can appeal an Order from the Department of Labor and Industries (Department) to the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals (Board.) This is a general outline of the definitions and procedures which govern these appeals. Continue reading What to Expect After Appealing a Dept. of Labor & Industries’ Order →

I was fortunate to be able to go on a couple of weeks of safari in Africa, recently. I found that, like most everything else, the sights, sounds and animals in Africa are much more stirring and impressive in person than they are in photographs or on television. Continue reading Africa →

The Department’s Stay at Work Program – A new program to help employers keep injured workers on the job – pays half the wage plus expenses. Continue reading The Department of Labor & Industries’ Stay At Work Program →