At any stage of the claims procedure, workers’ compensation insurers are permitted to make a settlement offer. It may occur as soon as a few days after you file your claim or up to a year or more later. The extent of your injuries is a primary determinant of when the offer is made, however there are other considerations as well. The matter is closed if the settlement is accepted.
Keep reading to learn more about the potential to settle a workers’ compensation claim. If you require the help of an employment law attorney, contact PLBH at (800) 435-7542 for assistance.
How quickly do workers’ compensation claims close?
After an injury, workers’ compensation lawsuits might be resolved fairly rapidly. They may pay your claim within a few days in specific circumstances. This may occur if it is obvious how serious your injuries are and how much compensation you should receive. It might also occur if your employer’s insurance provider anticipates that you’ll accept a speedy settlement that undervalues your losses.
How much time may the settlement procedure require?
Workers’ compensation insurance providers occasionally wait nearly a year before making a settlement offer. They may do this occasionally if they are unsure of how much your future medical expenditures may cost. If you have not yet attained maximum medical improvement (MMI), this may occur. Other times, they’ll do this because they believe that if they wait long enough to put financial pressure on you to settle, you’ll be willing to take a lower offer.
On rare occasions, insurers might not even present a settlement offer. Most frequently, this occurs when the insurance company rejects the workers’ compensation claim. The insurance company may decline to pay the claim if you challenge the denial in the hopes that their decision will be maintained on appeal.
What elements can alter the time frame for workers’ compensation settlements?
The timeframe for worker’s compensation settlements can be impacted by a variety of variables. Two of the most crucial are the parties’ willingness to reach a settlement and the existence of factual disagreements over the events that occurred or your injuries.
Willingness to make concessions
The settlement process will move more quickly if the parties are willing to make concessions. Some workers’ compensation insurance providers are reputed to battle tooth and nail to defend their profit line. Unfortunately, because these insurers typically offer lower premiums, many employers are drawn to them. These insurers’ settlement offers for workers’ compensation cases are too low, which may cause the litigation to take longer. They might even agree to postpone the case in order to put more financial pressure on you to accept a low settlement.
If you agree to settle for less than you may be entitled to, the process can go along more quickly. There’s a chance that not all of your losses may be compensated. You will, however, get that payment more rapidly.
Disagreements over the case’s facts
A workers’ compensation case can take longer if there are any factual issues. The two main categories of factual disagreements in a workers’ compensation claim are the legitimacy of the claim denial and the amount of damages you are entitled to for your injuries.
Workers’ compensation does not always cover job injuries. These injuries’ compensation claims may not be covered by insurance. Injuries among them include those that were self-inflicted, received while committing a crime, brought on by drug or alcohol usage, or occurred as a result of fighting, teasing, or roughhousing with another person.
The workers’ compensation insurance will infrequently make a settlement offer when it seems that your injuries are not covered. The case may take longer as a result of this. The case won’t go to settlement until proof is found to address this factual issue.
If you are having trouble getting your case closed out, contact PLBH at (800) 435-7542 to see if we might be able to help.