CRSA Settlement Process: Does An Injured Worker Need Attorney for a CRSA? - Washington Law Center скачать в хорошем качестве

CRSA Settlement Process: Does An Injured Worker Need Attorney for a CRSA? - Washington Law Center

Does an Injured Worker Need An Attorney to Enter a CRSSA Settlement? No, an injured worker is not required to hire an attorney to enter a CRSSA settlement. However, attorney fees are statutorily limited to just 15% of CRSSA settlement values; those with attorneys can likely negotiate better settlements, and an additional Board hearing is required for those who have no attorney. Since the making of this video a minor modification has changed the name to Claim Resolution Settlement Agreement (CRSA). A structured payment is no longer required but is still available. The injured worker may instead choose a lump sum. All other information and analysis presented remains unchanged. Want to discuss your situation with an attorney? Call us at 253-999-9461. For more information on this type of case, please visit: https://www.washingtonlawcenter.com/C... If you’re interested in seeking a Claim Resolution Structured Settlement Agreement or CRSSA for your open claim with the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), please reach out to our experienced workers’ compensation attorneys immediately. Contact Workers’ Compensation Attorney Spencer Parr at Washington Law Center: https://www.washingtonlawcenter.com/s... For more information about Washington Law Center, visit: https://www.washingtonlawcenter.com/ _______________ Video Transcription: People often ask if an injured worker needs to be represented by an attorney during the CRSSA settlement process. Please keep in mind that attorney fees related to CRSSA agreements are limited by statute to just 15%, which is a relatively small amount for attorneys. The limitations on fees is meant to protect the injured worker by ensuring that almost all of the benefit gets paid directly to the worker. Especially given this limitation on attorney fees, very clear evidence suggests that injured workers will receive on average significantly better results if they use an attorney to obtain their CRSSA settlement as opposed to trying to negotiate for themselves. Not only are workers likely to obtain more money when represented, but the process is also substantially easier and the resulting agreement is more likely to be approved by the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals, which is what the injured worker ultimately wants. Workers who are not represented by an attorney cannot enter a CRSSA without also undergoing a special additional Board hearing process at which they will have to convince a judge that a particular settlement is in their best interests. That will typically require all of their finances, financial obligations, and reasons why they think a settlement is better for them than continuing to accept the normal benefits available at law. This takes additional time and comes with the additional risk that a judge will not agree. The Board’s judges are allowed to reject an unrepresented worker’s CRSSA settlement application for whatever reasons the Board judge may have, which could be numerous depending on the facts of the given case. By contrast, represented workers need not undergo the same judicial scrutiny and delay because it is understood that a worker's attorney will ethically help guide each represented individual toward an agreement that is appropriate for that person. Finally, injured workers who hire an attorney to engage their CRSSA settlement options are therefore less likely to feel cheated or guilty regarding the settlement terms. Represented workers have the comfort of knowing they've done everything they can to get the best possible deal for themselves and their family members. They won’t later regret not having hired the attorney. Essentially, represented workers have a guide and a legal counselor to help them negotiate the best deal and explain all of the legal ramifications of the CRSSA contracts, which are usually 15 pages or longer and have technical terms potentially impacting collateral rights including under the Social Security Act. So, the short answer is that every injured worker should definitely engage an experienced L&I attorney’s services in order to negotiate, perfect, and then enforce their CRSSA settlement agreement.