Texas Flirts With Lump-Sum Medical Settlements

Texas is one of several states that does not allow injured workers to receive lump-sum settlements for medical benefits, a legacy of a law passed in the 1980s that put an end to what many saw as an excess of litigation and misuse of settlement funds by injured workers. The idea looked like it could come back into vogue this year, after some employers asked lawmakers to revise the Texas workers' compensation statute and pave the way for the settlements — provided that Medicare set-asides and a deceased workers' loved ones were taken care of. In the end, though, other bu...