Handling Estate Battles With GraceHandling Estate Battles With Grace

About Me

Handling Estate Battles With Grace

Hi, I am Ina Aldawen. Upon losing my mother at a young age, I was thrust into the world of estate lawyers in an instant. Although the process could have been a nightmare, I was lucky to end up with an accomplished and kind lawyer. The lawyer taught me all I needed to know about handling my mother's estate properly. I escaped the situation unscathed and with my relationships intact. Although I hope to never have to deal with that situation again, I at least know enough to get through it without too much stress. I built this site to share this knowledge with you in an attempt to help the world deal with estate situations better. Losing a loved one should never include a legal battle over belongings and funds. Unfortunately, it often does, so it's best to stay prepared. Come by often to learn more.

What Settling Your Workers' Comp Case Can Mean

19 August 2019
 Categories: Law, Blog

When a workplace injury has created problems in your life, you may welcome the opportunity to settle the case. While settling a case can bring closure to a bad situation and help you begin your fresh start, you should know what might happen as a result and how much you can expect. Read on to learn about those aspects of a workers' compensation insurance settlement.

When Should I Settle My Case?

It's important to time your settlement so that you can take full advantage of the potential benefits. For example, if you settle too soon, your medical condition could worsen or fail to improve in the predicted manner. For that reason, most legal experts advise workplace injury victims to wait until their injuries are at the maximum medical improvement (MMI) stage. This means that your injuries are not expected to improve further.

Another issue to consider before you sign a settlement is that a settlement is a final legal act. You cannot, in most cases, reopen a workers' compensation case after you have agreed to settle and signed the release. Therefore, consultation with a workers' compensation attorney could save you from making a mistake that cannot be rolled back.

How Much Money Can I Expect?

The actual settlement offered to hurt workers varies depending on the exact case. You should never agree to a settlement without knowing what you might have been entitled to receive had you allowed your case to be heard by an administrative law judge or the workers' compensation boards. Most settlements are based on the following:

  • The degree of disability. You can be 100% disabled or any percentage up to that amount. A 50% disability won't pay as much as a 75% disability, for example.
  • Your wages before the injury. The higher your previous salary, the higher the settlement.
  • Your age and education level. Older workers who would be close to retirement may not be offered the same settlement as one who has a lifetime of lost earnings ahead of them.
  • The potential for future medical treatments.
  • The possibility that the insurance company unfairly denied you temporary benefits and now owe you those. Temporary disability benefits include medical care and a partial disability wage.
  • Unpaid medical bills.
  • Penalties placed on the workers' comp insurance for failing to approve benefits previously.

It must be emphasized that a settlement is entirely negotiable. This sort of action is best handled with the help of a workers' comp lawyer skilled in understanding what is at stake with the loss of a job due to a workplace injury.