Glossary of Workers' Compensation Law Terms

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Legal Glossaries Index

Settlement: An agreement between you and the insurance company regarding your workers' compensation payments and future medical care. Settlements must be reviewed by a workers' compensation judge to make sure they are adequate.

Serious and willful misconduct: A petition filed if your injury is caused by the serious and willful misconduct of your employer.

Specific injury: An injury caused by one event at work.

Stipulated rating: Formal agreement on your permanent disability rating. Must be approved by a workers' compensation judge.

Stipulation with award: A settlement of a case where the parties agree on the terms of an award. This is the document the judge signs to make the award final.

Stipulations with request for award: A settlement in which the parties agree on the terms of an award. Payment takes place over time.

Subjective factors: The amount of pain and other symptoms described by an injured worker that a doctor reports as contributing to a worker's permanent disability. Subjective factors are generally not given as much weight as objective factors.

Subpoena: A document that requires a witness to appear at a hearing.

Summary rating: The percentage of permanent disability.