Sarasota Workers’ Compensation Settlements Lawyer
When you have sustained a serious injury on the job in Sarasota that prevents you from returning to work in a full capacity or returning to work at all, you should be thinking carefully about filing a workers’ compensation claim. Under Florida law, workers’ compensation benefits can pay for your medical costs related to your injury, and they can also provide you with a portion of the wages you have lost—and may lose in the future—as a result of your injury. The amount of wage loss benefits you receive, as well as other compensation tied to your injury, will depend upon the type of injury and its severity. For example, do you have a total or partial disability as a result of your injury? Is the injury temporary or permanent? And what part of your body was affected by the injury?
All of these questions can play a role in determining the amount of compensation you receive. For many injured workers, it makes sense to settle your claim. Your Sarasota workers’ compensation settlements lawyer can help you to receive the maximum possible settlement given the facts of your case. When you are thinking about settling your case, you should learn more about how the settlement process works.
Types of Workers’ Compensation Settlements in Sarasota, Florida
Generally speaking, the Florida workers’ compensation system can award two different types of settlements:
- Lump-sum settlements; and
- Structured settlements.
When you agree to a settlement that agreement will clarify whether you will receive your benefits in a lump-sum payment, or whether you will receive a structured settlement. A lump-sum settlement means you get all of the money up front once you agree to the settlement. A structured settlement pays out the total settlement amount over a specific period of time. For people who require many follow-up medical appointments and long-term care, a structured settlement can help to ensure that those costs can be covered at specific points in the future.
Full and Final Release of Liability in Sarasota
In most workers’ comp settlements, the injured worker must agree to a full and final release of liability. What this means is that the employee is agreeing that they do not have a right to seek any additional workers’ compensation benefits, and the workers’ comp settlement represents the full and final amount.
There are some limited circumstances where an injured worker may negotiate a different kind of settlement in which the insurance company is only partially released from liability. In most situations where this type of settlement occurs, the injured worker anticipates additional medical expenses related to the injury to happen later on.
Seek Advice from a Workers’ Compensation Settlements Lawyer in Sarasota
If you need assistance negotiating a workers’ compensation settlement, you need to have an experienced lawyer on your side. A dedicated Sarasota workers’ compensation settlements attorney at our firm can speak with you today about your claim and your options for settling. Contact Barbas Nuñez Sanders Butler & Hovsepian to learn more about how we can help you through the workers’ compensation claims process in Florida.
