OK, I am a little confused here. I have been on WC before and was given a weekly paycheck from Liberty Mutual up to a certain sum, and this was considered a "settlement." I returned to work and signed off with LM. And signed off only on the injuries that were not going to be a problem in the future to my health. So doesn't everybody that is on a WC injury get a bi-weekly check from Liberty Mutual as part of their "settlement?"
Helen, most if not all state comp systems cover medical bills...most if not all states have some form of weekly wage replacement benefits....some states may have this PPD rating as well...the reasoning for PPD is that although the employee has received weekly wage loss benefits and medical coverage, and may be able to return to work, there may be some loss of use or permanent impairment on the body part(s) involved....my experience is that in the states in which you get this PPD, the weekly wage loss benefits are lesser..
Also, often when you return to work, most states require that the ending of wage loss is memorialized, hence sometimes Liberty Mutual will send you formwork that they ask you to sign off on, to memorialize properly with the state comp bureaus. Although you agree that the wage loss has stopped, some states have timeframes for continued medicals if you still may need them and the are reasonable and necessary.
I think when this chain started, the term settlement is not really a settlement that we know it as...maybe it is an agreement that the wage loss has stopped, or maybe there is an offer to just agree to a average PPD amount instead of getting docs and lawyers to play their games...the term settlement is usually referred to when you can not return to work at all, and that is a much more complex thing.
My experience also has been that UPS employees have a good fringe benefits as well when on comp...as part of the CBA's, some employees continue to get healthcare and pension contributions when you are off work. Some employers do not go that far.
