Stipulation

Process whereby an employee with a compensable work-related injury or occupational disease and the employer (and/or its workers' compensation insurance carrier) close a workers' compensation case finally. This happens when an employee is paid a sum of money and/or provided certain medical treatment(s) and, in return, signs away any future right to benefits for the stipulated injury or disease. Some stipulations close out all aspects of a case (i.e., benefits AND medical treatment) while other stipulations close out portions of available benefits (i.e., benefit payments OR medical treatment), leaving the remaining benefits "open."