About Me

A Case Worth Making When someone else's actions lead to your injuries, that person is considered to be negligent. If those injuries led to costs such as medical bills and lost wages, then you might want to consider filing a personal injury case. After all, most personal injury cases hinge on proving negligence. Your first step will be to contact a personal injury attorney, but before you do that, you might want to browse this website and learn a little more about personal injury law and personal injury attorneys, in general. We've provided plenty of helpful articles to ensure you are well-informed, so start reading.

Search

Categories

Being Offered A Compromise & Release Agreement From Workers Comp? Get A Lawyer!

If you've been injured on the job and the insurance company is offering a compromise and release agreement, you may be wondering what your options are, if any. A compromise and release agreement will close out your workers' compensation claim by paying you in one lump sum and requiring you to agree to certain stipulations that may not be in your best interest — especially if you've been permanently injured. Here's what that means and why you need to hire a workers' compensation lawyer. 

Compromise and Release Agreement

Typically, this agreement is a settlement that has certain stipulations that may cause problems in the future. Two common stipulations of this agreement are that no future medical care related to the workplace injuries will be compensated and you will not have the right to reopen the case in the future, no matter what the reason. 

While you may be anxious to reach a settlement so you can cover lost wages and look ahead to the future, it's a good idea to consult with a workers' compensation lawyer before you sign anything or agree to anything in a recorded conversation. 

Consequential Injuries and Psychological Injuries

It's also crucial that you have a complete and thorough medical evaluation to determine whether or not you are prone to developing what is called consequential injuries and psychological injuries. A workers compensation lawyer can help you arrange the necessary appointments and gather all the documentation you will need regarding these issues: 

  • Consequential injuries. When one part of your body is permanently injured, other parts of your body may try to compensate for the injury. This overcompensation can put more stress, strain, and wear and tear on the non-injured side or parts, which can result in consequential injuries. For example, an injury to the left hip could lead to a consequential injury to the right knee. 
  • Psychological injuries. When your life is completely altered due to a permanent injury, you may experience psychological injuries such as anxiety, depression, stress, and mental anguish. Psychological injuries can and should be compensated for in the settlement. 

Compromise and release agreements are required by law to be approved by a workers' compensation judge. However, you should hire a lawyer to ensure the judge is presented with your side of the claim, which includes documentation from a doctor to determine what risks you may have for developing consequential and/or psychological injuries. For more information, contact a workers' compensation lawyer.

Tags: