YOU HAVE BEEN INJURED- YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO COMPENSATION

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Obtaining The Compensation You Deserve

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When you hire an attorney who is inexperienced in the Idaho Workers' Compensation claim process or if you pursue your own worker's compensation claim, you are taking a risk your potential benefits and may make it impossible to obtain the treatment you are entitled to in order to restore your health. Storer & Steen has represented hundreds of Idaho injured workers during our 26 years of combined experience.  We have seen far too many injured workers ignored or taken advantage of by uncaring employers, stingy insurance companies, and doctors hired by the insurance carriers. We are here to protect the rights of injured workers in the Boise area and throughout Idaho.  

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We provide free phone and in-person consultations at 208-323-0024  to evaluate discuss your case in detail. If necessary, we can meet with you in your home.  There is never an attorney fee unless we obtain compensation for you.

 

What Are The Benefits You Are Entitled to Obtain?

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If you were injured in a workplace accident, or you are unable to  work due to an occupational disease or other work-related trauma, you are entitled to the following benefits paid by your employer/insurance carrier:

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• Medical benefits — Your employer, through its workers' compensation insurance carrier, is obligated to pay for all of reasonable and necessary medical treatment ordered by your physician. Your employer/insurance carrier will almost always require you to see their "preferred" or "designated" doctor. If handled correctly, you will have the right to see your own physician or chiropractor when you think you are not getting the right care or if you feel the "preferred" or "designated" doctor is more concerned about keeping the employer/insurance carrier happy rather than providing the treatment you need.  Storer & Steen will intervene if your bills are rejected, if you are being forced back to work before you are physically ready, or if you are being under-treated.

• Income benefits — If you cannot work due to your injury, workers' compensation will pay 67 percent of your average weekly wage (up to a cap) during your recovery. Pro-rated benefits will be paid if you are only able to work part-time.

• Impairment — You are entitled to compensation for permanent physical limitations or anatomical loss (severed fingers, back surgery, lost range of motion, chronic pain) after a work injury. This impairment is based on a percentage loss as compared to a "whole person," with an impairment rating determined by a qualified doctor. If your impairment rating is too low, we will help you obtain an independent medical examination to determine if the rating is correct.

• Permanent Disability — If your impairment and physical limitations are so severe that you are unable to perform your usual work duties or you are forced to take a lower paying position, you could be entitled to additional disability benefits from your employer/insurance carrier. We will help you obtain the disability payments the law allows and that you are entitled to. Your employer/insurance carrier may also be required to cover vocational retraining if your permanent injury requires you to pursue a different type of work.

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Third Party Claims - Injured While Driving

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Even thought you usually cannot sue your co-worker or an employer for negligence, many workers are injured due to the negligence of a party outside of your line of employment.  For example, you may be hurt in a car wreck caused by another driver who hit you while you were on duty.  Maybe you were injured due workplace machinery that has a manufacture defective. We will aggressively explore and pursue all possible claims. 

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We provide free phone and in-person consultations at 208-323-0024  to evaluate your case in detail. If necessary, we can meet with you in your home.  There is never an attorney fee unless we obtain compensation for you.

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The Injured Worker and Social Security Disability

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If you have been out of work for 12 months and your work related injury is serious enough that you cannot work at any new job, we can assist you in obtaining Social Security Disability.  Such claims are complex due to potential offsets of payments. We will assist you in determining if you qualify under such programs.  

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We provide free phone and in-person consultations at 208-323-0024  to evaluate discuss your case in detail. If necessary, we can meet with you in your home.  There are never attorney fees unless we secure compensation for you.

 

 The Types of Injuries Storer & Steen Have Handled

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We have handled claims for hundreds of injured Idaho workers during our combined 26 years of experience.  Our expert staff understands the medical terminology and knows when your treatment is adequate or inadequate.  After an injury, injured workers are too often treated as commodities by their employers who can be replaced like a piece of machinery.  Too little attention is paid to the real impact these injuries have on your life.  We, at Storer & Steen, have the training and experience to understand your injuries and the impact these injuries have on your life.  We have represented workers with a wide range of injuries including, but not limited to, the following:

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• Herniated, bulged, ruptured, extruded, "slipped" discs in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine.

• Sciatica, brachial neuritis

• Disabling lower back pain or pain radiating into the legs

• Disabling neck pain or pain radiating into the arms

• Rotator cuff, shoulder, and joint injuries

• Knee injuries - meniscus tears, anterior or posterior ligament injuries, medial or lateral collateral ligament injuries,

• Labral tears, SLAP injuries

• Ligament and tendon injuries or avulsions - connective or "soft tissue" injuries (severe sprains and strains)

• Broken bones and compression fractures or crush injuries

• Severed limbs or hands, fingers, legs, toes

• Hip injuries

• Head injury, MTBI, brain injuries

• Spinal injury

• Burns, burn injury or disfigurement

• Lifting, fall. twisting injuries

• Car, vehicle, truck accidents or collisions  

• Occupational diseases (repetitive stress or motion trauma and toxic exposure), carpal tunnel syndrome

• Visual, vision, eye, hearing, ear injuries

• Psychological injuries

• Toxic exposure — Workplace toxins (gases, chemicals, toxic dust or fibers)

• Avascular necrosis, post-traumatic arthritis

• All surgical cases

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We Will Aggressively Pursue Your Benefits

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You likely have large treatment bills and time loss from work.  You should consult with an attorney at Storer & Steen early in the claim process to make sure you are properly compensated.  We will evaluate every aspect of your injury, will get you to the right types of doctors, gather your medical records and properly file your claim in order to obtain the maximum benefits you are entitled to. If necessary, we will litigate your claim including doing an Industrial Commission hearing if your claim is improperly denied. 

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Some of the reasons claims are denied are as follows:

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• The employer denies the accident even occurred at all

• The employer disputes that the injury is work-related

• The employer claims that the injury is pre-existing

• The insurance company believes you are able to return to work without loss of income

• Treatment is terminated or reduced before you are healed

• A doctor hired by the insurance company says you do not need treatment

• A doctor hired by the insurance company "under-diagnoses" you by saying you have a minimal injury that needs minimal care

• The employer claims that the injury does need future or ongoing medical care

• The employer claims that the injury does not require you to see a Chiropractor, physical therapist, or specialist

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We provide free phone and in-person consultations at 208-323-0024  to evaluate your case in detail in order to determine if your claim was unreasonably denied. If necessary, we can meet with you in your home.  There is never an attorney fee unless we obtain compensation for you.