For many workers, once it becomes clear that they have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI) (that no further treatments will improve their health), it makes sense to start thinking about their long-term position. Some of the reasons workers consider lump-sum payments are:<\/span><\/p>\n The amount you receive will be discounted to reflect the idea that the lump sum can earn interest over the time you normally would have waited to get your payments.<\/span><\/p>\n If, <\/span>as we\u2019ve pointed out before<\/span><\/a>, you are receiving any unemployment compensation pay, you will lose the right to claim those benefits.<\/span><\/p>\n The answer depends on your type of injuries. The basic types of injury categories in North Carolina are:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n If all these criteria are met, you will be entitled to checks of 2\/3rds of your average weekly wage for the remainder of your life.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is typically not advisable for a worker to settle his or her workers\u2019 compensation<\/a> claim if the worker has not reached maximum medical improvement. Additional surgeries, treatments, and therapies may improve your condition. They can be quite expensive. You shouldn\u2019t forfeit the right to get as healthy as you can by having the employer and insurance company pay for that treatment. Then again, each and every case is different.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You may feel, for instance, that your skill set will enable you to obtain an alternate job where you can find health insurance which will likely cover future costs, in which case, it may make sense for you to examine settlement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Once workers have achieved their maximum health, some may not need additional medical care \u2013 for example, if they broke a bone and the bone has healed. Many workers, however, will need continuing health care to prevent their condition from getting worse. This is especially critical for workers with occupational diseases which often worsen with time. Workers with chronic injuries or other physical injuries may need constant help. If a worker needs a prosthetic, the prosthetic may wear out with time. The cost of medications must be part of the overall clincher settlement agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n There is always some risk in settling your case if you need more medical care. An experienced workers comp attorney can help you make an estimate as to what your future medical bills will be.<\/span><\/p>\n In any event, once it is determined that a full and final settlement of your case may be advantageous, your attorney will help calculate your future medical costs related to your injury by first estimating our life expectancy. This can be done by relying on certain statutes in North Carolina that actually provide the <\/span>average life expectancies<\/span><\/a> for both males and females each year across the State.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n One complicated problem is how your Medicare benefits and Social Security benefits are figured since many workers may be eligible for both Medicare and workers\u2019 compensation benefits if they have a lifetime disability or were older when they first applied for work injury benefits. This is typically handled through something called a <\/span>Medicare Set-Aside Arrangement<\/span><\/a> or MSA. Basically, if you are a current Medicare recipient or if you are on Social Security Disability, you cannot settle your workers compensation claim without taking into account Medicare\u2019s interests.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Also, if you\u2019re going through a <\/span>divorce,<\/span><\/a> you\u2019ll need to review your marital rights with a family lawyer.<\/span><\/p>\n North Carolina Workers\u2019 Compensation Attorney Joe Miller Esq. has been fighting for injured workers in North Carolina and Virginia for more than 30 years. He is highly respected by his legal peers and former clients. He\u2019ll fight to get you every dollar you deserve. He\u2019ll contest any effort by the employer to terminate or reduce your benefits. Call attorney Joe Miller today at <\/span>888-694-1671<\/a><\/b>. or use my <\/span>contact form<\/span><\/a> to schedule an appointment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Why employees consider a clincher agreement? For many workers, once it becomes clear that they have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI) (that no further treatments will improve their health), it makes sense to start thinking about their long-term position. Some of the reasons workers consider lump-sum payments are: Plain and simple \u2013 the worker gets … <\/p>\n\n
The disadvantages of a clincher agreement<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n
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How is the amount of the lump sum payment determined?<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n
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How are future medical bills addressed in a clincher agreement?<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n
Are there other issues to consider in a worker\u2019s compensation clincher agreement?<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n