Injured workers in Washington suffering from mental health-only claims will have the opportunity to select a licensed psychologist as an attending provider in their Workers’ Compensation claim.
The Industrial Insurance Act (Act) provides that a worker who is injured in the course of employment or injured or disabled from an occupational disease is entitled to workers compensation benefits. Benefits may include medical, temporary time-loss, vocational rehabilitation benefits, and permanent disabilities benefits. The Department of Labor an Industries (Department) administers the workers’ compensation system.
If a workplace accident occurs and the worker receives treatment from a physician or advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP), the worker must report the accident to the employer and the employer must report it to the Department. The Department must immediately notify the worker of the worker’s rights to receive health services from a physician or an ARNP, and must list the types of providers authorized to provide services.
A physician or ARNP who attends an injured worker must inform the worker of his or her rights under the Act and assist the worker in applying for benefits. A physician who attended the worker may file an application on behalf of a worker to the Department. House Bill 1197 expanded workers’ rights to have a psychologist serve as an attending provider in mental health only claims, like PTSD.
Attending providers now include:
- a member of the health care provider network;
- treating injured workers within the person’s scope of practice; and
- licensed under state law in one of the following professions:
- physician;
- osteopathy;
- chiropractic;
- naturopathy;
- podiatric medicine and surgery;
- dentistry;
- optometry;
- psychology, in claims solely for mental health conditions;
- physician assistant; and
- licensed advanced registered nurse practitioner.
Workers’ Compensation Attorneys in Washington
For a FREE workers compensation consultation with our Althauser Rayan Abbarno injury attorneys in Centralia or Olympia, call (360) 736-1301 or visit www.CentraliaLaw.com or E-mail [email protected]
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