Can I just get a settlement and be done with it?

Can I just get a settlement and be done with it?

I get asked all the time, "Can I just take a settlement and just be done with this workers' comp insurance company?" In Texas, you can't do that. In Texas, when your employer carries workers compensation insurance, that protects them such that your only rights are through the workers' compensation system. The Texas Workers Compensation system does not allow for settlements. At the end of your case, you're going to get an impairment rating. That impairment rating is going to pay you three weeks pay for every 1% of impairment. Now at the end, what you can do is you can say, "I want to accelerate all of my benefits. I want to get my benefits paid in a lump sum." But I never ever, ever advise clients to do that. Because is you do that, another one of the things that you have to do, is you have to waive all entitlement to future benefits. Why would you waive a lifetime of medical care and also potential future income benefits all for a quick lump sum payment of just a few days or weeks worth of benefits?