Mark Wahlstrom in this weeks commentary on the Settlement Channel, looks at a disturbing trend in claims practices that is being practiced by AIG on their casualty claims. In recent cases it has been noted that AIG or their structured settlement brokers are requiring Attorney's to sign agreements, pre-settlement negotiation where in the trial lawyer agrees to utilize AIG's preferred settlement brokers to handle any potential structured settlement. While this is upsetting, what is worse is another clause where in the attorney agrees to AIG's stipulation that none of the settlement money will be paid into a settlement trust, a Qualified Settlement Fund or a 468B settlement trust, thus depriving claimants and their attorneys of an IRS approved and codified means of resolving litigation, liens, claims and handling appropriate planning for clients. If you have been asked to sign one of these agreements you need to fully understand the motivation behind AIG's insistence, which appears to be nothing more than an attempt to control the claims dollars that rightfully belong to the plaintiff in any other form of settlement. To learn more go to http://wahlstromandassociates.com/.
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