Hurt on the job in Hawaii? Workers' comp is no-fault — and your lawyer's fee is state-regulated.
Hawaii workers' compensation is a no-fault system: you do not have to prove your employer did anything wrong to get medical care, partial wage replacement, and disability benefits for a work injury. Claims go through the state Disability Compensation Division, with appeals to the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board. Attorney fees are set and approved by the state, so you are not handing over an open-ended percentage. The firms below represent injured Oahu workers.
Honolulu workers' compensation cases cover construction falls, hospitality and warehouse injuries, repetitive-strain conditions, and disputes when an insurer cuts off treatment or denies a claim. Hawaii's no-fault system means the fight is usually not about blame but about getting the medical care and wage benefits the law promises. Because attorney fees are regulated by the state, hiring a lawyer rarely costs you out of pocket. Every firm below has a verifiable Oahu workers'-comp practice.
How we picked these firms: We reviewed peer rankings (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell), Avvo and Justia ratings, state-bar records, published results where available, and client review patterns. Firms that appeared consistently across at least two independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
These firms were selected from Justia, Super Lawyers, the Hawaii Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board attorney listing, and Expertise.com and cross-referenced against Hawaii State Bar records. Claims are decided by the Disability Compensation Division of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, with appeals to the LIRAB.
Practice focus: Workers' compensation across all Hawaiian islands
Why they made the list: Wayne Mukaida reports 47 years focused on Hawaii workers' compensation, representing hundreds of injured workers before the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
Practice focus: Workers' comp, workplace injury, personal injury
Why they made the list: Alex Sonson has more than 30 years of experience in Hawaii workers' compensation and personal injury, focused on maximizing benefits and avoiding delays for injured workers.
Practice focus: Workers' comp, personal injury, accidents
Why they made the list: Nolan Yogi has practiced for more than 31 years and is licensed in Hawaii, Ohio, and California, with a long Honolulu workers'-comp practice.
Practice focus: Workers' compensation for injured employees
Why they made the list: A Honolulu workers'-compensation firm that has advised and represented injured employees since 1973.
Practice focus: Workplace injuries, workers' comp, personal injury
Why they made the list: A Honolulu firm representing injured workers in workers'-compensation and workplace-injury claims across Oahu.
Practice focus: Workers' compensation, workplace injury
Why they made the list: An Oahu attorney focused on representing injured workers within Hawaii's workers'-compensation system.
Practice focus: Workers' compensation
Why they made the list: Jacqueline Amai reports 34 years of Honolulu workers'-compensation experience representing injured employees.
Practice focus: Workers' compensation, labor matters
Why they made the list: A Honolulu attorney with 49 years of experience handling workers'-compensation and related labor matters.
Practice focus: Workers' compensation litigation, third-party subrogation
Why they made the list: Founding partner Roy Fujimoto concentrates on workers'-compensation litigation and related third-party claims for Hawaii clients.
Tell us what happened and we'll match you with a vetted workers' compensation firm in Honolulu. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Request Free Consultation →The system is no-fault. You do not have to prove your employer was careless. If you were injured on the job, you are entitled to medical care, partial wage replacement, and disability benefits regardless of who was at fault.
Deadlines are firm. Report the injury to your employer promptly. You generally have two years from the date you knew the injury was work-related, and no more than five years from the date of injury, to file a claim under HRS §386-82.
Claims run through the DLIR. The Disability Compensation Division of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations decides claims. If a claim is denied or benefits are cut off, you can appeal to the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board (LIRAB).
Attorney fees are regulated. In Hawaii workers' compensation, attorney fees must be approved by the state and typically come out of disputed or additional benefits the lawyer recovers — not an open-ended percentage of everything.
Hiring a workers'-comp lawyer in Honolulu rarely costs you anything up front. Fees are set and approved by the state and generally come out of the additional benefits the lawyer wins for you, while your medical treatment for the injury is paid by the employer's insurer.
| Fee or cost item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Attorney fee | Contingency-style but capped and approved by the state DLIR or LIRAB, typically a modest percentage of disputed or added benefits. |
| Medical treatment for the work injury | Paid by the employer's insurer, not by you. |
| Temporary total disability (TTD) | About two-thirds of your average weekly wage while you cannot work, up to a state maximum. |
| Filing a claim (WC-5 form) | No court filing fee for the injured worker. |
| Free initial consultation | Standard across every firm on this list. |
Most workers' compensation attorneys who show up on a Honolulu search are competent. A few are exceptional, and a handful are volume shops. Three checks separate them.
Scope match. A lawyer who handles your exact situation week in and week out is often a better fit than a big-name firm that hands your file to its most junior associate. Match the firm's size and focus to the size and stakes of your matter.
Direct contact. Get the lawyer who will actually do the work on the phone before you sign. If you cannot reach them before they have your signature, that is the level of access you will have for the whole case.
Written terms. Every firm here will give you a written fee agreement. Read it. The fee, the scope, who does the work, and what happens if you switch firms are all in there. Ambiguity on paper is ambiguity for the rest of the matter.
1. Report the injury right away. Tell your employer as soon as possible and get medical care. Delay is the first thing insurers use to question a claim.
2. File the claim. You or your lawyer file the WC-5 claim with the Disability Compensation Division. Prompt filing protects your benefits.
3. Treatment and wage benefits. While you recover, the insurer should pay for treatment and, if you cannot work, temporary disability benefits at about two-thirds of your wage.
4. Disputes and the rating. If the insurer denies care or disputes how serious the injury is, your lawyer gathers medical evidence and fights for the correct disability rating.
5. Appeal to the LIRAB if needed. If the Division rules against you, your lawyer can appeal to the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board for a fresh review.
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can promise a specific result. If a firm guarantees a win, a dismissal, or an approval, walk away.
The disappearing partner. You meet a senior name at intake, then never speak to them again while a junior or paralegal runs the file unsupervised. Ask in writing who handles your matter day to day.
Pressure to sign on the spot. A reputable firm hands you the agreement in writing and lets you read it at home. High-pressure intake is the mark of a volume mill.
No verifiable track record. Look for verdicts, results, bar certifications, or peer recognition you can check. "We've helped thousands of clients" is marketing, not evidence.
Vague fees. Every legitimate Honolulu lawyer gives you a written fee agreement stating the structure, what is covered, what triggers extra charges, and what happens if you change firms.
Most firms on this list offer a free initial consultation. Use it. Bring written questions, write down the answers, and compare at least two firms before you sign.
Hiring the lawyer is the start, not the finish. The firms that earn their reputation in Honolulu share a few habits worth holding yours to. They return calls and emails within a day or two, even if the answer is "no news yet." They explain each step before it happens, in plain language, so you are never guessing what comes next. They put the important things in writing, including the fee agreement, the strategy, and any offer, so nothing rests on a hallway conversation you might remember differently later.
Your job matters too. Keep one folder, paper or digital, with every document, bill, letter, and photo connected to your matter. Write down dates and names as things happen, because memory fades and details win cases. Tell your lawyer the bad facts as well as the good ones; surprises that surface later are far more damaging than anything you disclose up front. And be careful what you post on social media, because the other side will look, and a careless post can undercut an otherwise strong case.
If the relationship is not working, you are allowed to change firms. The rules let you switch counsel, and the fee is sorted out between the lawyers rather than charged to you twice. A good fit should leave you feeling informed and in control of your own decisions, not kept in the dark and pushed toward whatever closes the file fastest.
Yes. You do not have to prove your employer was at fault. If the injury happened on the job, you are entitled to medical care, partial wage replacement, and disability benefits.
Generally two years from when you knew the injury was work-related, and no more than five years from the date of injury. Report the injury to your employer promptly to protect the claim.
Usually nothing up front. Fees are set and approved by the state and typically come out of the additional benefits the lawyer recovers, not your existing benefits.
Coverage of medical treatment for the injury, temporary disability payments of about two-thirds of your wage while you cannot work, and compensation for any permanent disability.
Hawaii law prohibits retaliation for filing a legitimate workers'-compensation claim. If it happens, a lawyer can advise you on your options.
Your lawyer can appeal to the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board (LIRAB), which reviews the Division's decision and the medical evidence.
If your claim is accepted and benefits flow, maybe not. But if treatment is denied, benefits are cut off, or the disability rating is disputed, a lawyer usually pays for itself through better benefits.
Your injury report, the names of treating doctors, any letters from the insurer, your pay information, and a timeline of the injury and treatment.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many matters like mine have you handled in the last three years? The answer tells you a lot. — The LawFirmSquare team