Workers’ Compensation Settlements in Flowery Branch

Under state law, you can receive workers’ compensation benefits for several years after you initially get hurt or sick at work if your resulting injury or illness continues to affect your working capacity for a long period. In practice, though, most workers’ comp claims end with settlement agreements between claimants who need long-term benefits and the insurance companies responsible for providing those benefits.

Workers’ compensation settlements in Flowery Branch are often the best way for all involved parties to get most—if not all—of the benefits they need while also resolving the claims process quickly and cheaply. That said, it is very important to have a thorough knowledge of how these settlements work in order to negotiate a fair settlement. This is one of many things that a seasoned workers’ compensation lawyer at Smith Hulsey Law could help with during your claim.

Factors That Affect Workers’ Compensation Settlements

What constitutes a fair Flowery Branch workers’ compensation settlement depends a lot on the circumstances and various factors involved. Common factors include:

• Which part(s) of the claimant’s body sustained harm
• The value of lost short-term income from time already missed at work
• Lost long-term working ability due to permanent and irreversible impairment
• How old the claimant is and how long they would have expected to continue working prior to getting hurt or sick
• How much medical care the claimant has already received, and how much they can reasonably expect to need in the future

It is worth emphasizing that a person can agree to a “global settlement” for a workers’ comp claim, which permanently closes the case with a lump-sum payment, or settle just for medical expenses or “indemnity benefits” that cover income loss. A qualified legal professional could offer guidance about which course of action might best suit a particular situation during a private initial consultation.

Timeline for Settling a Workers’ Compensation Claim

Another thing worth mentioning about the workers’ compensation settlement process in Flowery Branch is that the Georgia Board of Workers’ Compensation must approve any settlement agreement valued at more than $100 before that agreement will be legally binding and enforceable. Furthermore, while there is a hard one-year deadline on initially filing a workers’ comp claim after a workplace injury or illness first occurs, there are no hard deadlines for when settlement talks for that claim must conclude. This means that claimants may have very different experiences regarding how long it takes to negotiate for a fair settlement.

That said, once an agreement is approved, the insurance provider has a maximum of 20 days to make their first payment, or else they will be subject to a penalty of 20 percent of the amount owed. Beyond just helping to negotiate a fair settlement in the first place, legal counsel could also help take proactive legal action against workers’ comp insurance providers who fail to act in good faith during this process.

Work With a Flowery Branch Attorney To Obtain a Workers’ Compensation Settlement

Filing a workers’ compensation claim can be an intimidating process, and trying to negotiate a settlement to conclude that process can be even more unnerving. Fortunately, you have support available from our lawyers, who are willing and able to fight tenaciously in defense of your rights.

Workers’ compensation settlements in Flowery Branch will heavily depend on the specific circumstances of the case. An attorney at Smith Hulsey Law could increase the likelihood of a favorable final result. Schedule a consultation with our legal team today.