Representing injured workers throughout the Twin Cities since 1989.
Baehman Fitzgerald helps injured workers in Minnesota review workers’ compensation settlement offers before they give up wage-loss, medical, or disability benefits tied to a work injury.
After a worker suffers an injury on the job and files a claim with their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance company, the insurer may offer them a settlement. In exchange for a lump sum, the injured worker forgoes future workers’ comp benefits related to the accident.
This type of arrangement has its pros and cons. If you got hurt at work and your employer and their insurer have offered you a settlement, you should carefully consider the potential benefits and drawbacks of accepting it. An experienced Minnesota workers’ compensation settlement lawyer from Baehman Fitzgerald can help you weigh your options, come to a decision, and potentially pursue a different course. Our Minnesota workers’ compensation lawyers can review the settlement offer, explain what benefits may be affected, and help you decide whether the insurer’s proposal protects your future.
As a Minnesota workers’ comp firm with a 30-year track record, Baehman Fitzgerald is pleased to serve clients in Ramsey, Dakota, and Washington counties from our office in Woodbury. We also support Wisconsin workers in Osceola, New Richmond, River Falls, Ellsworth, and greater St. Croix County. Contact us today to get started with a free consultation.
A workers’ compensation settlement is a voluntary agreement between you and your employer’s workers’ comp insurance company. Accepting a settlement means that instead of continuing to receive certain benefits over time, you agree to resolve some or all parts of your claim in exchange for money. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry also provides official information about workers’ compensation settlements, including how settlement terms may affect future medical treatment.
For some people, this tradeoff makes sense. For others, it can create new financial pressure if the settlement amount doesn’t reflect the full value of their claim or their future needs.
As with all things, you’ll have to look at the potential advantages and disadvantages before accepting a settlement offer. A fair workers’ compensation settlement should account for your injury, treatment history, wage loss, future medical needs, permanent restrictions, and the legal risks in your claim.
Some potential benefits may include:
At the same time, potential drawbacks of accepting a workers’ comp settlement may include:
Before you seriously consider any settlement offer, speak with a Minnesota workers’ compensation law firm about what rights you may be giving up.
Insurers typically calculate workers’ comp settlement amounts to reflect the benefits they believe they may owe now and going forward, balanced against the risk of continued disputes with an injured worker. In simple terms, the insurer looks at what your claim may cost if it stays open and then decides how much it’s willing to pay to close all or part of that exposure. Your employer’s insurer may take a variety of factors into account, including:
The insurer may also weigh practical issues, such as the strength of your medical records and whether they believe a judge may take a favorable view of your claim. Keep in mind that insurance companies calculate settlement offers to protect their own financial interests. Always have a workers’ compensation settlement attorney review any offer before deciding whether it’s fair.
While it’s true that insurers look for ways to reduce settlement amounts because higher settlements cost them more money, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t also do everything possible to make your claim as strong as it can be. Certain mistakes can weaken it and give the insurer reasons to offer you less than you deserve – or to deny your claim outright.
Even small missteps can affect how the insurer values your case. Some common mistakes that could risk reducing your settlement amount include:
Issuing a settlement offer doesn’t mean the insurer is right about what your claim is worth. Before accepting less than you may deserve, have a Minnesota workers’ comp payout lawyer compare the settlement offer with the facts of your case.
Workers’ comp claims involve high stakes. You should never go into the claims process alone because you’ll be greatly outmatched by your employer’s insurance company, which has substantial resources to devote to protecting its profits at your expense.
If you’ve received a settlement offer, reach out to a Minnesota workers’ comp attorney right away. An attorney can review the facts and determine whether the insurance company’s offer reflects the true value of your claim. Given the potential impact of a settlement on your finances, medical care, and future options, you need to approach the decision with caution. Even an offer that looks reasonable at first glance may not account for the full impact of your work injury.
When you work with an attorney from an experienced law firm, they can give you a clearer sense of where you stand and help you make decisions with confidence. Instead of trying to sort through a stressful situation on your own, you can move forward knowing someone is looking out for your interests.
If you suffered an injury at your Minnesota workplace, you deserve peace of mind knowing a trusted advocate is on your side. You shouldn’t have to worry about managing a workers’ comp claim or debating a settlement offer on your own while you ought to be focused on your physical recovery.
Turn to Baehman Fitzgerald for the legal guidance and support you need. For 30 years, the Minnesota workers’ compensation attorneys at our Woodbury-based firm have supported injured workers from Ramsey, Dakota, and Washington counties. Our law office also serves workers in Osceola, New Richmond, River Falls, Ellsworth, and greater St. Croix County who need help managing workers’ comp claims through Wisconsin’s system.
When you trust Baehman Fitzgerald with your workers’ comp claim, we’ll scrutinize any settlement offers to make sure you aren’t being asked to put your future in jeopardy for the insurance company’s financial benefit. From our Woodbury office, Baehman Fitzgerald reviews workers’ comp settlement offers for injured workers in Ramsey, Dakota, Washington, and nearby Minnesota counties.
Contact our law firm today to arrange a free consultation with a dedicated workers’ comp lawyer.
