Workers' Comp Mediation and Settlement Services

Hardworking Iowa residents suffering the loss of income and work disability come to Lawyer, Lawyer, Dutton, Drake & Conklin, LLP for help navigating through a complex process. We employ all of our knowledge, experience and resources in workplace accident claims to help you obtain benefits, including:

Settlements are tricky and involve a painstaking process in which we learn all of the pros and cons of your case. We will carefully consider your needs from both a workers' comp weekly benefit standpoint and from a medical standpoint. These initial steps are complicated, as are the issues involving ongoing medical needs, especially with program options such as Medicaid, Medicare and Obamacare.

Some workers' comp cases settle in a matter of weeks or after months of negotiation. All along, we will work to get you the best result possible.

We also use mediation to settle cases. Mediation sessions involve all parties coming to our office or virtually with a private mediator facilitating the process with a focus on the following forms of settlements:

• Settling the case on an open basis where we agree on a number of weeks of compensation and make specific agreements about your medical needs
  
• A closed file in which you give up your entitlement to disability benefits and medical care in exchange for cash payments
  
• A hybrid of the first two types where a portion of your case is left open and other parts are closed
  

You will find that an open file protects you the most, but the cash details are generally more tempting if you are willing to give a closed file.

At Lawyer, Lawyer, Dutton, Drake & Conklin, LLP, we treat each workers' compensation case individually, identifying the specific issues and tailoring settlement strategies to find the best and most efficient resolution. Our goal is to return a sense of order, control and normalcy to the lives of our clients.

While we will consult with you on your options regarding the settlement, you have control over the final decision. However, you need to exercise sound judgment while we determine the settlement terms that can best help you.