Settlements

The settlement contract contains all the terms of the agreement.

This includes payment of medical bills, payment of time off work pay, and permanent partial disability (also known as the lump sum payment).

Once you settle your case all medical treatment ends. Unless there is specific language to indicate it continues. This is very rare since the Insurance Company wants to cut their losses.

Most payments are lump sum or one time payments made within 4 to 6 weeks after the settlement.

You must be very careful that the contract contains language to cover all medical bills related to your work injury, or you will be stuck paying the bills.

If you have any question about whether you will need future medical treatment, DO NOT settle your case. Better to take more time and cover potential future medical then to be on your own down the road.

1. Do not report your accident to your supervisor. Putting things in writing makes it harder for your Employer to pretend like you did not get hurt at work.

2. Do not go to the Doctor right away. This makes it easier for your Employer to argue that you did not get seriously injured.

3. Do not give a detailed explanation of your accident to the Doctor. The Arbitrator looks closely at what you tell your medical providers right after your injury.

4. Do not tell the Doctor about all of your injuries. It will be very difficult to claim injury for neck, if you only tell the doctor about your leg problems.

5. Do not treat for your injuries on a consistent basis. Going for long periods without treatment makes it look like you are not seriously injured.

Questions about ways to increase your Workmans Comp Settlement? Feel free to call Illinois Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Dirk May at 309-827-4371.

In Illinois, for purposes of Workers Compensation, it is legal to follow someone and video tape them without their permission.

Insurance Companies will hire private investigators to video tape injured workers.

They attempt to show that a person is going beyond their restrictions, or is not has injured as it appears.

Most people do not need to worry. However, it is important to be aware that you may be on candid camera.

Most videos do not show anything of value.

However, I have seen videos of a person dancing who supposedly had a severe back injury, or roofing a house with a shoulder injury.

If you think you are being watched, you are probably are. And the videos can be, and are used in court.

Work Comp settlements take time because you are dealing with an insurance company.

Insurance companies are full of delays. They have layers of supervisors. Adjusters who handle hundreds of cases. They want to hold onto their money. Several people have to sign off on the contract.

And sometimes the cases are complicated.

The language in the contract is very important.

It can make the difference of thousands of dollars.

It can affect future medical benefits.

So you need to expect some delays, and be patient. What happens with your contract can affect the rest of your life.