Portland Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Our experienced workers’ compensation attorney in Portland, OR can assist you with your work comp benefits.

How to File a
Work Comp Claim

Appealing a Work Comp Claim Denial

Work Comp Settlement Amounts

We provide legal services for injured workers in Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Lane, Marion, Jackson, Deschutes, Linn, Douglas, Yamhill, Benton, Josephine, Polk, Umatilla, Klamath, Coos, Columbia, Lincoln, Clatsop, Malheur, Wasco, Union, Tillamook, Hood River, Jefferson, Crook, Curry, Baker, Morrow, Lake, Grant, Harney, Wallowa, Gilliam, Sherman and Wheeler County

Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Portland, Oregon

Oregon is a beautiful place, but appreciating Oregon’s natural beauty can be a challenge following a work injury. On the job injuries in Portland are stressful and often lead to disputes with the insurance company over medical treatment and time loss benefits. Some claims are even denied before the insurance company performs a reasonable investigation.

Knowledge is power. If you have had a work injury or been diagnosed with a work related illness we recommend learning more about your right to workers’ compensation benefits. As an injured worker, your benefits include coverage for your lost income and time off work, medical expenses, such as surgery, permanent impairment and, in certain circumstances, vocational retraining or death benefits.

An experienced Portland workers’ compensation attorney can make all the difference. Whether you are looking for legal assistance from a Portland workers’ comp lawyer, or an attorney that also provides representation in other parts of the state, Goin Law Group is prepared to assist you with your workers’ compensation claim. We are an Oregon Workers Compensation Attorney committed to fighting for the rights of injured workers as well as educating our clients regarding their workers’ compensation rights. We understand that each claim is different and every client will have their own unique needs. Our legal assistance focuses on the client, whether they have a simple or complex issue. No claim is too big and no dispute too small.

Call today to schedule a free consultation with our Portland workers’ compensation attorney, don’t wait to get your questions answered.

How does our Portland workers’ compensation attorney help injured workers?

A Portland workers’ compensation attorney can help you by

  • Filing your workers’ compensation claim
  • Fighting a denial of your workers’ comp claim
  • Pursuing denied medical treatment, such as therapy or surgery
  • Auditing insurance payments and wage loss to ensure that you have been paid correctly

  • Negotiating lump sum settlements

We believe the first step to helping an injured worker in Portland, OR is listening. Most injured workers feel unheard by their claims adjuster, the IME doctor that evaluated them at the request of the insurance company, and even their own physician, whom they were directed to by their employer or insurer.

We strive to make our clients feel heard and understood. Every client has a different goal. Some are interested in fighting a workers’ compensation claim denial. Others need a surgery that was denied by the insurance company. Many clients have been offered a settlement, but do not understand the value of their claim and have made the decision to contact an Portland work comp lawyer to discuss Oregon work comp settlement amounts. Regardless of your goal, we are here to advocate for your rights.

Once we understand your goals, we begin working to accomplish them by meeting with you to discuss a detailed litigation plan for your claim. We then move to next steps once the litigation plan has been finalized. Sometimes this process starts with filing a workers’ compensation claim if a claim has not yet been filed. Perhaps instead it will be necessary to appeal a denied workers’ compensation claim that was already filed. We may also need to review your workers’ comp benefits and pursue an adjustment of your average weekly wage if it is too low or file a Request for Hearing if the insurance company owes you money they have yet to pay.

For clients that are interested in Oregon settlement amounts, we prepare a detailed settlement evaluation and discuss it with you line item by line item so that you understand the value of your claim. We then begin the process of negotiating a workers’ compensation settlement on your behalf.

What are Portland workers’ comp benefits?

The workers’ compensation system was created to assist workers with on the job injuries by offering certain benefits designed to restore the worker to the position they were in before the on the job injury occurred. It is important to remember that Oregon workers’ compensation is a no-fault liability system that requires mandatory coverage of all employees and provides an exclusive remedy. This means that, in most cases, you will not be able to sue your employer directly for your damages from the injury. With that said, some exceptions exist and Goin Law Group always recommends discussing your right to workers’ compensation benefits with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney.

The benefits offered under the Oregon workers’ compensation system fall within one of five categories:

Medical treatment

Oregon injured workers are entitled to medical treatment for their on the job injuries and work accidents. Medical treatment could include seeing a physician, physical therapy, chiropractic therapy, acupuncture, surgery, injections, durable medical equipment, such as walkers, canes, splints and prosthetics, or diagnostics like x-rays, arthrograms and MRIs.

Time loss or payment for lost wages

The insurer is generally responsible for paying an injured worker’s “temporary disability benefits” when an on the job injury occurs and the worker received a restriction from their physician that prevents the injured worker from returning to the job at injury. “Temporary partial disability benefits” are paid when modified duty work restrictions are imposed and the worker has returned to a new position working fewer hours or earning a lower hourly wage.

Permanent impairment

Sometimes an injured worker does not make a full recovery following their accident. Permanent impairment is typically awarded when the worker’s attending physician performs a closing examination that documents objective findings in support of a permanent impairment award. This is a complex area of Oregon’s workers’ compensation laws. Many insurance companies will work directly with the worker’s attending physician in an effort to close the claim without awarding the worker permanent impairment. Goin Law Group highly recommends seeking legal assistance if you believe your attending physician has discharged you from care or plans to do so within the next three to six months.

Vocational retraining

Like permanent impairment, vocational retraining is also a complicated area of Oregon’s workers’ compensation laws. Vocational assistance may be available when a worker has permanent impairment as a result of their work injury that also resulted in permanent work restrictions that prevent the injured worker from returning to their job at injury. Goin Law Group recommends consulting with an experienced Oregon workers’ compensation attorney immediately if you believe you may have permanent impairment and permanent work restrictions.

Death benefits

If a work injury or occupational disease results in a fatality, the worker’s spouse and dependents are entitled to a lump sum payment for the final disposition and funeral expenses of the worker, in addition to monthly support. The amount due changes yearly. Spouses will continue to receive benefits until they remarry. Children receive benefits until they reach the age of 18 unless attending college, in which case benefits will continue until they are 23. In some instances individuals who were not a spouse or child of the deceased may also qualify for benefits as “other dependents.” Benefits amounts change annually. Consultation with a Portland workers’ comp attorney is highly recommended if a loved one sustained a work related fatality.

How much does it cost to hire an experienced Portland workers’ comp attorney?

All our consultations are free. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means the Judge forces the insurance company to pay our fees after we win your case.

How do you protect your rights after a work injury in Portland, Oregon?

Protecting your Oregon workers’ compensation rights begins with filing a timely claim with your employer. It is also important that you seek immediate medical attention and explain carefully to the doctor when, where and how you were injured. Make sure the physician also understands all your symptoms. Goin Law Group similarly recommends you consult with an Oregon workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as you are able. We understand that many injuries are debilitating. Commuting or finding child care so that you can see a lawyer may also be difficult or impossible. Our firm offers telephonic and video consultations so that you don’t have to travel.