Washington Code 7.68.130 – Public or private insurance — Attorneys’ fees and costs of victim
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(1) Benefits payable pursuant to this chapter shall be reduced by the amount of any other public or private insurance available, less a proportionate share of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, if any, incurred by the victim in obtaining recovery from the insurer. Calculation of a proportionate share of attorneys’ fees and costs shall be made under the formula established in RCW 7.68.050 (9) through (14). The department or the victim may require court approval of costs and attorneys’ fees or may petition a court for determination of the reasonableness of costs and attorneys’ fees.
Terms Used In Washington Code 7.68.130
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Department: means the department of labor and industries. See Washington Code 7.68.020
- Private insurance: means any source of recompense provided by contract available as a result of the claimed injury or death at the time of such injury or death, or which becomes available any time thereafter. See Washington Code 7.68.020
- Public insurance: means any source of recompense provided by statute, state or federal, available as a result of the claimed injury or death at the time of such injury or death, or which becomes available any time thereafter. See Washington Code 7.68.020
- Victim: means a person who suffers bodily injury or death as a proximate result of a criminal act of another person, the victim's own good faith and reasonable effort to prevent a criminal act, or his or her good faith effort to apprehend a person reasonably suspected of engaging in a criminal act. See Washington Code 7.68.020
(2) Benefits payable after 1980 to victims injured or killed before 1980 shall be reduced by any other public or private insurance including but not limited to social security.
(3) Payment by the department under this chapter shall be secondary to other insurance benefits, notwithstanding the provision of any contract or coverage to the contrary. In the case of private life insurance proceeds, the first forty thousand dollars of the proceeds shall not be considered for purposes of any reduction in benefits.
(4) If the department determines that a victim is likely to be eligible for other public insurance or support services, the department may require the applicant to apply for such services before awarding benefits under RCW 7.68.070. If the department determines that a victim shall apply for such services and the victim refuses or does not apply for those services, the department may deny any further benefits under this chapter. The department may require an applicant to provide a copy of their determination of eligibility before providing benefits under this chapter.
(5) Before payment of benefits will be considered victims shall use their private insurance coverage.
(6) For the purposes of this section, the collection methods available under RCW 7.68.125(5) apply.
[ 2011 c 346 § 703; 1995 c 33 § 3; 1985 c 443 § 16; 1980 c 156 § 4; 1977 ex.s. c 302 § 8; 1973 1st ex.s. c 122 § 13.]
NOTES:
Intent—Retroactive application—Effective date—2011 c 346: See notes following RCW 7.68.020.
Severability—Effective date—1985 c 443: See notes following RCW 7.69.010.
Legislative intent—“Public or private insurance”—1980 c 156: See note following RCW 7.68.020.