WA HB2189

Removes the current age 50 minimum requirement for injured workers to enter into voluntary claim resolution settlement agreements, allowing workers of any age to settle their workers' compensation claims

Currently, workers settling with self-insured employers average 40 years old, while state fund workers must be at least 50 years old to settle; 44 other states already allow workers over age 18 to enter settlements

Settlement agreements cover all benefits except medical treatment, require approval by the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals, and can be paid as a lump sum or structured periodic payments

Unrepresented workers must attend a conference with an industrial appeals judge who reviews the agreement and ensures the worker understands its consequences before approval

Claims closed through settlement can only be reopened for medical treatment; no further temporary or permanent disability benefits are payable under the settled claim