The Highest Workers’ Comp Settlement in Arizona History

One of the most pressing questions our clients ask is, “How much is my workers’ compensation claim worth?” This is a question that depends on several factors unique to each injured worker, like the severity of the work-related illness or injury, how long it lasts, and whether it prevents you from returning to work. It also varies from state to state.

Another key factor is this: How hard will your workers’ compensation law firm fight for you? 

How strongly your lawyer deals with the insurance company can make all the difference for you in getting all the financial compensation you need now and in the future.

How prepared your workers’ comp lawyer is to negotiate from a position of strength can be the most important consideration in deciding how much you receive in settlement.

Three Million Dollars for an Arizona Traumatic Brain Injury

The Matt Fendon Legal Group has negotiated the largest full and final workers’ compensation settlement in Arizona history—three million dollars—which the Industrial Commission of Arizona (the ICA) finalized and approved in May of 2023. 

This is more than one million dollars higher than the previous record for the largest Arizona workers’ compensation settlement.

How did we do it? Read below.

The Accident and Its Consequences

Our client in this case was a 59-year-old man who suffered an especially grievous traumatic brain injury at work. The long-term effects of this head injury left him with significant cognitive and physical defects, leaving him unable to return to work for the rest of his life.

How We Helped Maximize the Settlement

We Hire the Best Medical Cost Projection Experts

Medical cost projection means reviewing your medical records by a medical and billing expert to identify future needs for medical benefits and costs. 

Done properly, an independent medical cost projection like the ones we utilize to provide for our workers’ comp claim clients can be an essential element in maximizing your lump sum workers’ compensation settlement payout.

Our attorneys were already knowledgeable in full and final settlement negotiations before the 2018 Arizona workers’ compensation law changes took effect. This includes knowing how to use medical cost projection to maximum advantage—a critical component in any lump sum settlement calculation.

In addition to having attorneys who are trained and experienced in medical cost projection, the Matt Fendon Law Group works closely with outside medical cost projection specialists. We are one of the very few law firms in Arizona who will take this important extra step for you. 

Our coordination with medical cost projection specialists was decisive in realizing the record three-million-dollar settlement for our Arizona workers’ comp client.

We Are Experts in Full and Final Settlement Negotiations

One reason for recent increases in Arizona workers’ compensation settlement values is a change in Arizona law. This change, which became effective in 2018, allows for full and final—also called “lump sum”—settlements of workers’ compensation claims. Matt Fendon was at the forefront of this change. He was one of the first attorneys that embraced full and final settlements in Arizona and has negotiated and processed one of the highest volumes of full and final settlements in Arizona.

Full and final settlements by their nature tend to be larger in dollar amounts than settlements a claimant can reopen later on. This is because under the pre-2018 workers’ compensation law, injured workers could not settle their future active medical care, just their indemnity benefits.

For this reason, full and final settlements tend to be popular with workers’ comp insurers, too—especially if they can still persuade unwary workers to settle payouts using pre-2018 settlement calculations yet still be safe from a reopened claim later.

For you, the injured worker, what this means is that when you are negotiating a full and final settlement of your Arizona workers’ compensation claim, you must be able to estimate your future medical expenses and treatment costs as completely and accurately as possible. 

You only get one shot when negotiating a lump sum agreement. 

If you fail to anticipate all of your future expenses, then you won’t be able to fix that once the ICA finalizes and approves your settlement.

Arizona’s new full and final settlement law requires lump sum agreements to explain to you what your probable future medical treatments will be and how much they will likely cost. 

But this does not mean that an insurance company will go out of its way to help you discover and pursue all the compensation avenues potentially available to you.

This is why you need an experienced Arizona workers’ compensation attorney on your side when you are negotiating settlement with an insurer. An attorney who knows exactly what the stakes are for you and won’t quit when it comes to arguing for the maximum settlement amount you need.

The Matt Fendon Law Group Difference

The Matt Fendon Law Group provides strong advocacy to injured and disabled workers in Phoenix, Prescott Valley, Scottsdale, Flagstaff, and Tucson, Arizona. 

Our founding attorney, Matt Fendon, established our law firm with the single goal of fighting for workers who have been injured or treated unfairly. He is an Arizona native and a board-certified specialist in workers’ compensation law. 

This recognition from the Arizona Board of Legal Specialization requires workers’ compensation lawyers to demonstrate a high level of professionalism, integrity, and competence.

Since 2008, Matt Fendon Law Group attorneys have been fighting for workers like you, employees who find themselves in tough situations because of on-the-job injuries. 

We provide comprehensive legal representation for injured workers who must contend with employers, insurance companies, and the laws of Arizona workers’ compensation.

Having specialized training backed by practical settlement negotiation experience is what sets us apart from the average Arizona workers’ comp law firm. 

We are recognized by respected legal organizations such as The National Trial Lawyers, the Super Lawyers, Martindale Hubbell, and the Arizona Trial Lawyers Association, and Workers Injury and Law Advocacy Group.

Call the Matt Fendon Law Group Today

Winning the largest workers’ compensation settlement payout in Arizona history for our client was no accident. 

It came from a combination of decades of attorney negotiation experience, rigorous training, knowing the right outside experts to coordinate with, and a relentless focus on zealously representing our client.

While we cannot guarantee results in any case, we can confidently say that our legal team has a mastery of complex worker’s compensation claims that is unsurpassed in Arizona.  

No matter how serious or complex your situation is, you can feel confident relying on our team’s knowledge and compassionate representation.

Contact us at (480) 229-3880 to talk with one of our best-in-class workers’ compensation lawyers. Or reach out to us online to ask a question or set up a free initial consultation to evaluate your potential full and final settlement claim.