Workers' Comp Settlements in Iowa

Yes. The two basic types are an Agreement for Settlement, which resolves the amount and extent of compensation due, and a Compromise Settlement, used when the parties disagree about the employee's benefits; a combination settlement accepts part of a claim through an agreement and resolves the rest by compromise. The Workers' Compensation Commissioner must approve each settlement. An approved compromise settlement ends both parties' future rights to benefits for the settled injury. Weekly benefits can also be converted (commuted) to a lump sum with approval if there is a specific need and it is in the employee's best interest; a full commutation ends all future rights to benefits, including medical, while a partial commutation does not end future rights.

Temporary total disability benefits end when the worker returns to work or has recovered enough medically to return to similar work. Healing period benefits (for injuries causing a permanent impairment) end when the worker returns to work, has recovered as much as expected, or is medically able to return to similar work. Permanent partial disability is paid for a set number of weeks: scheduled body parts have a fixed number of weeks (for example, 400 weeks for loss of a shoulder and 190 weeks for loss of a hand), and body-as-a-whole (industrial) disability is a percentage of 500 weeks. Permanent total disability benefits are payable for as long as the worker remains permanently and totally disabled.

In Iowa all fees for legal services in workers' comp cases are subject to the approval of the workers' compensation commissioner (or a district court judge for services in the courts). An attorney may not take a fee based on compensation the employer voluntarily paid or agreed to pay, and may recover a fee only on compensation the attorney shows would not have been paid but for the attorney's efforts; disputes are resolved by the commissioner.