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​Experienced ILLINOIS Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
& CHICAGO Injury Lawyers

Airline Workers’ Compensation Lump Sum Settlements

Lawyers for Work Injury Claims in Chicago

If you are injured on the job as an airline worker and left with a disability that restricts or prevents you from working, you might be able to get permanent and total disability benefits. Generally, permanent and total disability benefits are paid out so that you get weekly checks over a specific time period. However, in some cases, it is possible to get an airline workers’ compensation lump sum settlement. There are advantages and disadvantages to these lump sum settlements. A knowledgeable Chicago workers’ compensation attorney can advise you as to the possible risks and benefits of such an outcome in your case.

Airline Workers’ Compensation Lump Sum Settlements

If a job-related illness or injury leaves you needing medical treatment and permanent leave from work, you might be eligible for permanent disability benefits via the workers’ compensation system. Sometimes workers simply receive these permanent disability benefits in the form of weekly checks. In other cases, problematic denials are issued by the insurer or the worker disagrees with what is being paid or wants a different payment set-up.

It may be possible to negotiate a lump sum settlement with the insurer. Another potential avenue for recourse is to go to a hearing at which an arbitrator will make a decision, and if you are unhappy with that decision you may be able to appeal.

If you want to negotiate a lump sum settlement, it is wise to hire a seasoned workers’ compensation lawyer. The lump sum settlement is what it sounds like; you get a single lump sum of money instead of weekly permanent disability payments. The lump sum can cover not only permanent disability benefits, but also a sum to cover your future medical treatments. For example, if you are a flight attendant who was disfigured in an accident on a plane, you may need revision surgery; a lump sum settlement could provide for that surgery. It may also include sums for past temporary disability benefits not paid and past medical benefits not paid.

Sometimes, a lump sum settlement is appropriate. In other situations, you can negotiate a structured settlement to be paid over time in a particular way.

Either way, you should be aware that it is advisable to have an attorney through the process of obtaining workers’ compensation. Sometimes insurers offer less than what a claim is worth. They might agree to pay you a certain sum in exchange for giving up your right to collect future benefits. This is a good deal if you’re not going to need those benefits, or it may be a terrible deal, depending on your injuries and the likelihood that you’ll need those benefits in the future. However, if you choose to go to a hearing instead, an arbitrator may give you less than what you’re offered. Sometimes a lump sum settlement is spent too quickly in a situation where, if the payments are periodic, the claimant would have better budgeted the money or been alert to the possibility of needing the money for a big expense like surgery. There’s a complex analysis of advantages and disadvantages to be done, and it’s generally best to have a lawyer do it with you.

Lump sum settlements can reduce the benefits you get in the future once you give up the right to have an insurer pay the bills if they arise. Insurers may offer a lump sum settlement specifically in order to end future payments to the employee for an injury. They might believe the lump sum settlement will cost them loss money over the long haul.

Consult a Skilled Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Chicago

If you are concerned about seeking or negotiating an airline workers’ compensation lump sum settlement in Chicago, Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca can answer your questions. We also represent injured airline workers in Quincy, Champaign, Aurora, Rockford, and Springfield, as well as Kane County, Adams County, Cook County, Sangamon County, Champaign County, and Winnebago County. We examine our clients’ situations to determine whether other relief, such as damages in a personal injury lawsuit or SSDI, may also be appropriate. Call us at 312-724-5846, or contact us online.