Injured? What you need to know

• Your health care provider will assist you in completing a Report of Accident at your first medical visit. You can also file an accident report online at FileFast.Lni.wa.gov or by phone at 1-877-561-FILE (3453).
• If you work for a self insured employer, your employer will provide you with a Self Insurer Accident Report (SIF 2) and assist you in completing the form. Your health care provider submits the Provider's Initial Report (PIR) to the self-insured employer.

Search online for a doctor or other health-care provider near you. When you find a provider, contact them to make sure they are accepting new patients.

If your employer is self‑insured, file your claim directly with your employer. They will give you a Self‑Insurer Accident Report (SIF‑2). Fill out the form completely and return it to your employer or their representative. The doctor will complete a Physician's Initial Report (PIR) (F207‑028‑000) and mail it to your self‑insured employer's claim representative.

If you need further care, you must see a provider in the L&I network starting January 2013.

Yes. You may choose any doctor who is qualified to treat your injury, as long as they are in our network. They include: medical, osteopathic, chiropractic, naturopathic and podiatric, physicians, dentists, optometrists, physician assistants and Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners. You also may get a second medical opinion if your claim manager approves it.

Washington is a no-fault state, so L&I will cover an allowable claim for a workplace injury regardless of who is at fault. This rule also applies to self‑insured employers.

Washington workers' compensation benefits do not change if you live outside Washington State. The right to receive treatment, time loss, vocational rehabilitation, permanent disability and other benefits remains intact. However, your responsibilities also continue. If you do not cooperate with these responsibilities your benefits may stop. You must:

• Have an attending doctor manage your treatment and provide reports to L&I regarding your continued eligibility for benefits.
• Notify L&I in writing if your address or phone number changes.
• Cooperate in your treatment and return to work efforts.
• Notify L&I immediately if you return to any type of work, including self‑employment.
• Cooperate with vocational rehabilitation activities.
• Attend L&I or self‑insured employer arranged independent medical examinations.
• If you're thinking of moving out of Washington, learn what you can do to communicate with L&I and find new care.

If you have work restrictions, your doctor will explain them on the Activity Prescription Form (F242‑385‑000). If you are unable to perform your regular job while you are recovering, your employer may be able to find you transitional or light-duty work within your medical restrictions. This can make it easier for you to get back to your original work and wages when you have recovered.

Your employer's workers' compensation rates can be affected by the cost of an injury. This is one reason employers help injured workers return to paid work while they are still healing, if permitted by the doctor.

Self-insured employers pay all claims costs. About a third of all Washington employees work for self‑insured employers.

You may see a company doctor if you wish, but you have the right to choose your own doctor.

You have the right to choose your doctor and also to decide who, if anyone, you want to accompany you to the doctor. You have the right to decline to have the company nurse or any employer representative accompany you to the hospital, doctor, or any other medical visit. Your employer can't discriminate or retaliate against you. Contact L&I if you need assistance.

If so, worker rights and benefits are the same. However, your employer, not L&I, handles your paperwork and pays for the claim.

If you disagree with how your self‑insured employer or their representative is managing your claim, contact Self‑Insurance at L&I to find your L&I claim manager so you can contact them directly.

About a third of all Washington employees work for self‑insured employers.

You may contact L&I. Your employer may not discriminate or retaliate against you for filing a claim, for saying that you plan to file a claim, or for seeking workers' compensation benefits. If your employer has discouraged you from filing a claim, you may file a complaint (F262‑024‑000).

Your time loss benefits could stop if you decline a job approved by your doctor and offered by your Washington employer.

A Washington worker can file a claim in Washington even if the injury occurs out of state. The claim won't be rejected because the injury happened out-of-state, even if your employer isn't paying premiums to Washington state. You may file claims in both Washington State and in the state or country in which you were injured, but any benefits you receive from another state will be credited against any benefits to which you may be eligible from L&I.

You are considered a worker of whatever state your employer has a place of business, if you regularly work at or from that place of business.

• If your employer has a place of business in Washington and you regularly work at or from that place of business, you are a Washington worker.
• If your employer's place of business is in another state other than Washington and you regularly work at or from that place of business, you are considered a worker of the state that place of business is located, and you aren't a Washington worker.

If your employer doesn't have a place of business in the state where you work, you are considered a worker of the state you reside, if you work a substantial amount of your time in the state where you reside.

• If your home is in Washington you work a substantial amount of your time in Washington, you are a Washington worker.
• If you home is in another state and you work a substantial amount of your time in that state, then you are considered a worker in the state where you reside, and you aren't a Washington worker.

If your employer has no business location in the state you work, and you don't live in the state you work, then you will be a Washington worker only if your contract of hire was made in the state of Washington.