Law Office of Wayne H. Mukaida
A Honolulu practice focused on Hawaii workers' compensation, handling claims and disputes through the DCD.
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Workers' CompWork Injury
Updated May 19, 2026
Hawaii workers' comp is no-fault: if you are hurt on the job in Honolulu, you do not have to prove your employer did anything wrong to get benefits. The system runs under Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 386 and is administered by the Disability Compensation Division (DCD) of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. The trade-off is that benefits are limited and insurers fight hard, especially over how serious your injury is. Below are vetted Honolulu firms that handle work-injury claims, plus plain answers on deadlines, benefits, and fees.
Because Hawaii workers' comp is no-fault, you qualify for benefits if your injury arose out of and in the course of your job — fault is not the question. You report the injury to your employer, who must file a report with the Disability Compensation Division. You generally must make a written claim within two years after the effects of the injury become apparent, and within five years of the accident, under Hawaii Revised Statutes section 386-82. The DCD oversees the claim, and disputes go to a hearing before a DCD hearings officer, with appeals to the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board.
The employer's insurer either accepts the claim and starts paying benefits, or disputes it. Common fights are over whether the injury is work-related, how long you cannot work, and whether you have a permanent impairment. If benefits are denied or cut off, you can request a hearing at the DCD. Unlike some states, Hawaii lets you choose your own treating doctor for the initial care, which can matter a lot when the insurer's exam doctor disagrees with yours. Each step has deadlines, which is the main reason injured Honolulu workers bring in a lawyer.
Temporary total disability pays two-thirds of your average weekly wage, subject to a state maximum, while you cannot work. Approved medical care is covered in full. If your injury leaves lasting impairment, you may receive a permanent partial disability award based on the body part and rating. In Hawaii, attorney fees in workers' comp cases are reviewed and approved by the DCD, and the initial consultation is free at the firms below — so cost should not keep you from getting advice.
These firms are profiled in full, with practice focus and recognition, in our Top 10 Workers' Comp Lawyers in Honolulu guide. Each is a real, independently listed HI firm.
A Honolulu practice focused on Hawaii workers' compensation, handling claims and disputes through the DCD.
A firm representing injured Oahu workers in workers' comp and related personal-injury claims.
A Hawaii attorney handling workers' compensation claims and appeals for clients across Oahu.
A Honolulu firm that handles work-injury claims along with the personal-injury cases that often overlap with them.
A Hawaii injury and workers' comp practice representing employees in disputed and denied claims.
A long-tenured Honolulu attorney handling Hawaii workers' compensation matters for injured workers.
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