When you’re injured on the job, you count on the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) to provide medical and wage-replacement benefits while you recover. Unfortunately, L&I sometimes issues decisions that deny or reduce and delay those benefits.
At Althauser Rayan Abbarno, we help injured workers fight unfair L&I decisions through the protest and appeal process. Knowing your rights — and acting quickly — can make all the difference.
⚖️ Step 1: Understand Your Right to Protest an L&I Decision
If you receive an Order and Notice from L&I that you disagree with, you have the right to protest the decision. A protest is a written request for L&I to reconsider. You must act within the legal deadline, or the decision will become final.
Deadline:
- You generally have 60 days from the date you receive the decision to file a protest.
- For vocational decisions, you have 15 days.
Don’t delay seeking legal assistance. Althauser Rayan Abbarno offers free workers’ compensation consultations by calling (360) 736-1301.
✉️ Step 2: How to File a Protest
To protest a decision:
- Find your claim manager’s name on your L&I correspondence.
- Write a letter to your claim manager explaining why you disagree with the decision. Include:
- The nature or type and date of the L&I decision.
- Specific reasons why you disagree.
- A reminder: the protest must be filed within 60 days.
- If your claim has been closed, include information from your doctor or health-care provider:
- Outline of your current medical condition
- Description of your treatment program and prognosis
- Write your name and L&I claim number on every page.
- Send your protest either:
- Online: through the L&I Claim & Account Center, or
- By mail: Claims Section
Department of Labor & Industries
P.O. Box 44291
Olympia, WA 98504-4291
If your protest is filed on time, L&I will issue a new decision that either modifies, reverses, or reaffirms the original order.
If you still disagree with L&I’s response, you may file an appeal to the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals (BIIA).
If you need assistance understanding your rights, call Althauser Rayan Abbarno for a free consultation at (360) 736-1301.
🧾 Step 3: Appealing a Washington State L&I Decision
If your protest is denied — or even if you choose to skip the protest step — you have the right to appeal directly to the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals (BIIA).
Workers, employers, and attending medical providers who disagree with an L&I decision may appeal to the BIIA.
However, your appeal must be received within the legal time limits from the date you received the decision:
- 60 days to appeal a claim or payment decision
- 20 days (for medical providers) to appeal a billing decision that reduces payment or demands repayment
If your written appeal is not received within these timeframes, the decision becomes final.
It is very important you don’t miss this deadline. Call (360) 736-1301 for a free workers’ compensation consultation.
📝 What to Include in Your BIIA Appeal
Your written appeal should include:
- Employee’s name and L&I claim number (on every page)
- The date of the L&I decision or order being appealed
- A description of the L&I decision or order you are appealing
- The reason(s) you disagree with the decision
- Your name, mailing address, and phone number
- The city where you’d like the proceedings to take place
- Any supporting information or documentation
📬 How to Submit Your Appeal
You can file your appeal online, by mail, or in person.
By mail:
Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals
P.O. Box 42401
Olympia, WA 98504-2401
In person:
Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals
2430 Chandler Court SW
Olympia, WA 98504
You may appeal directly to the BIIA without first protesting to L&I.
After receiving your appeal, the BIIA will notify L&I and give them an opportunity to reconsider their decision.
If L&I does not change the decision, the BIIA will schedule a hearing for your appeal.
For questions about the appeal process, you can contact Althauser Rayan Abbarno for a free consultation at (360) 736-1301.
💡 Helpful Tips for Protests and Appeals
- File your protest or appeal as soon as possible after gathering all your supporting documents.
- Keep copies of everything you submit.
- Even after protest or appeal, don’t stop gathering medical documentation supporting your position.
- Ask your doctor to clearly explain how your condition is “on a more probable than not basis”:
- work-related
- necessary medical treatment
- unable to return to work
- Seek help from an experienced workers’ compensation attorney who can guide you through the process and represent you before the BIIA. Call (360) 736-1301 for a free consultation.
🧑⚖️ Why Legal Help Matters
The L&I protest and appeal process is complex and time-sensitive. Small errors or missed deadlines can cost you your benefits.
At Althauser Rayan Abbarno, our attorneys have decades of experience helping injured workers navigate L&I disputes, protests, and appeals.
We know how to present the right evidence, work with medical providers, and protect your rights at every stage.
📞 Contact Althauser Rayan Abbarno for Help
If your workers’ compensation claim was denied, closed too early, or your benefits were reduced, don’t wait.
You only have 60 days to protest or appeal most L&I decisions.
Contact Althauser Rayan Abbarno today for a free consultation — including Spanish-speaking consultations — to protect your claim and your recovery.
📍 Offices in Centralia and Olympia
📞 (360) 736-1301
🌐 www.centralialaw.com
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