| Author | Subject: Re: Why can't injurwd workers find decent attorney? Please read |
| J. B. | Posted At 03:01:28 02/23/2000
MY HUSBAND WAS HURT AT WORK, WE FOUGHT WITH L&I FOR OVER 2 YEARS BEFORE WE BROKE DOWN AND GOT AN ATTORNEY. HE WROTE 2 LETTERS, ONE TO REQUEST A COPY OF THE FILE, AND ONE TO SAY HE HAD READ IT, THE CLAIM WAS COMPENSABLE AND REQUEST PAYMENT. HE RECEIVED JUST UNDER $10,000.00 FOR HIS TROUBLE. HE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN $20,000.00 BUT AGREED TO RELEASE THE PPD AWARDED IN FULL, IN THE INTEREST OF "A FAIR FEE FOR SERVICES RENDERED", AND ONLY AFTER WE APPROACHED HIM WITH THE PROPOSITION. THIS ATTORNEY NEVER SENT THE DEPARTMENT ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, OR DOCUMENTATION OF ANY TYPE. HE NEVER COMPLETELY REVIEWED THE INFORMATION WE PROVIDED, WHICH WAS A BINDER WITH EVERY LETTER, REPORT AND DOCUMENT INVOLVED IN THE CLAIM SEPERATED BY MONTH WITH AN INDEX OF THE DOCTORS REPORTS, THE L&I DOCUMENTS, AND THE LETTERS WE HAD WRITTEN, INCLUDED. HE NEVER CHECKED TO SEE IF THE AMOUNT OF TIME LOSS THEY PAID WAS ACCURATE, WHICH IT WAS NOT. HE NEVER CORRECTED THE MISTAKE IN THE NUMBER OF DEPENDENTS THEY HAD LISTED, WHICH WAS 2 INSTEAD OF THE 4 WE ACTUALLY HAD AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE FAILED TO PROPERLY ARGUE THE CLOSING OF THE CLAIM. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CLOSED, NOT ALL THE INJURIES THEY ACCEPTED HAD BEEN TREATED, HE NEVER MENTIONED THAT FACT WHEN HE PROTESTED THE CLOSING. IT TOOK US ALMOST A YEAR TO GET THE CLAIMS CLOSURE REVERSED ON OUR OWN, AND NOW AFTER 9 MORE MONTHS OF DELAYS AND DEPARTMENTAL B.S., MY HUSBAND FINALLY HAS A SURGERY DATE SCHEDUALED. THE ATTORNEYS SEEM TO BE A PART OF THE PROBLEM IN WASHINGTON, ALMOST AS THOUGH THERE IS SOME TYPE OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THEM AND L&I. THEY ALL WANT 30% OF ANY BENEFITS RECOVERED, THAT IS 30% OF THE 60% OF YOUR ACTUAL LOST WAGES YOU WILL GET IF YOUR SINGLE WITH NO DEPENDENTS, THAT LEAVES YOU WITH 30% OF WHAT YOU WERE EARNING WHEN YOU GOT HURT. A SPOUSE ADDS 5% AND EACH DEPENDENT ADDS 2%...WHY SHOULD AN ATTORNEY AUTOMATICALLY GET 30% OF IT NO MATTER HOW MUCH WORK IT TAKES TO EXTRACT IT FROM L&I? IT DOESN'T ALWAYS TURN OUT THAT THEY EARN WHAT THEY GET, IN SOME CASES IT COULD EASILY BE LOOKED AT AS THEFT! |
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