Kansas Statutes Annotated

K.S.A. § 44-531 (2026)

Redemption of liability; lump-sum payment of award; exception; settlement award on written stipulation; requirements; from; approval by administrative law judge

✓ current as of May 2026

Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section KS-LEGkslegislature.org JustiaChapter on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

44-531. Redemption of liability; lump-sum payment of award; exception; settlement award on written stipulation; requirements; from; approval by administrative law judge. (a) Where all parties agree to the payment of all or any part of compensation due under the workers compensation act or under any award or judgment, and where it has been determined at a hearing or by approval of terms of a settlement award on written stipulation pursuant to subsection (d) before the administrative law judge that it is for the best interest of the injured employee or the dependents of a deceased employee, or that it will avoid undue expense, litigation or hardship to any party or parties, the administrative law judge may permit the employer to redeem all or any part of the employer's liability under the workers compensation act by the payment of compensation in a lump-sum. The employer shall be entitled to an 8% discount except as provided in K.S.A. 44-510b(a), and amendments thereto, on the amount of any such lump-sum payment that is not yet due at the time of the award. Upon paying such lump-sum the employer shall be released and discharged of and from all liability under the workers compensation act for that portion of the employer's liability redeemed under this section.

(b) No lump-sum awards, unless agreed to by the parties, shall be rendered under the workers compensation act except: (1) As provided in subsection (a) of this section, (2) as provided* K.S.A. 44-510b(a), and amendments thereto, (3) in cases involving compensation due the employee at the time the award is rendered as provided in K.S.A. 44-525, and amendments thereto, and in cases of past due compensation as provided in K.S.A. 44-529, and amendments thereto.

(c) The parties, by agreement and with approval of an administrative law judge, may enter into a compromise lump-sum settlement in either permanent total or permanent partial disability cases which prorates the lump-sum settlement over the life expectancy of the injured worker. When such an agreement has been approved, neither the weekly compensation rate paid throughout the case nor the maximum statutory weekly rate applicable to the injury shall apply. No compensation rate shall exceed the maximum statutory weekly rate as of the date of the injury. Instead, the prorated rate set forth in the approved settlement documents shall control and become the rate for that case. This section shall be retroactive in effect.

(d) When both parties are represented by legal counsel and the claimant is over 18 years of age, a settlement may occur by settlement award on written stipulation on a form established by the director of workers compensation. The administrative law judge assigned to the matter shall approve or reject the settlement award on written stipulations within five business days of the electronic filing of the settlement award by the parties.

History: L. 1927, ch. 232, § 31; L. 1955, ch. 250, § 8; L. 1974, ch. 203, § 30; L. 1993, ch. 286, § 46; L. 1996, ch. 79, § 8; L. 2000, ch. 160, § 13; L. 2011, ch. 55, § 20; L. 2024, ch. 27, § 20; July 1.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 8 cases, 1926–2011 · leading case: Peterson v. Garvey Elevators, Inc., 850 P.2d 893 (Kan. 1993).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

Peterson v. Garvey Elevators, Inc., 850 P.2d 893 (Kan. 1993). · cites it 5× “Although we need not ascertain the legislature’s purpose in creating the classification, Garvey Elevators directs our attention to K.S.A. 44-531 as evidence of the legislature’s recognition of the need for finality and certainty in lump sum settlements.”

Johnson v. Gen. Motors Corp., 433 P.2d 585 (Kan. 1967). · cites it 5× “Appellee then filed his application with the workmen's compensation director for an order requiring the balance due on the award to be paid in a lump sum pursuant to K.S.A. 44-531. A hearing on the application was held before an examiner.”

Grajeda v. Aramark Corp., 132 P.3d 966 (Kan. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 8× “This settlement is agreed by all parties to constitute a K.S.A. 44-531 complete and full redemption.”

Lackey v. D & M Trucking, 687 P.2d 23 (Kan. Ct. App. 1984). · cites it 4× “” K.S.A. 44-531 provides: “(a) Where all parties agree to the payment of all or any part of compensation due under the workmen’s compensation act or under any award or judgment, and where it has been determined at a hearing before the director or an assistant *681 director that…”

Redgate v. City of Wichita, 836 P.2d 1205 (Kan. Ct. App. 1992). · cites it 3× “The respondent does cite K.S.A. 44-531 as authority for “[o]nce a settlement hearing is held pursuant to the requirements of K.”

Ross v. C. F. Lytle Co., 332 P.2d 592 (Kan. 1958). · cites it 2× “” It will be noted that section 44-531 does not specify the type of an award which shall be subject to redemption by lump sum payment.”

Siler v. Shawnee Mission Sch. Dist., 251 P.3d 92 (Kan. Ct. App. 2011). · cites it 2× “The only issue Siler raises in her brief to the court is: “What is the proper procedure, if one exists in this case, to change medical providers after a workers’ [sic] compensation claim has been settled pursuant to K.S.A. 44-531 and K.A.R. 51-3-l(d) with specific provisions for…”

Farrell v. Phoenix Util. Co., 243 P. 1012 (Kan. 1926). · cites it 2× “413 , the court, in commenting on section 33 of chapter 218 of the Laws of 1911 (since amended and now appearing as section 44-531 of the Revised Statutes), said: “These provisions apply only in case of agreement or award in which periodical payments are adjudged, and have no…”

— K.S.A. § 44-531(a) — 4 cases

Peterson v. Garvey Elevators, Inc., 850 P.2d 893 (Kan. 1993). “Although we need not ascertain the legislature’s purpose in creating the classification, Garvey Elevators directs our attention to K.S.A. 44-531 as evidence of the legislature’s recognition of the need for finality and certainty in lump sum settlements.”

Grajeda v. Aramark Corp., 132 P.3d 966 (Kan. Ct. App. 2006). “This settlement is agreed by all parties to constitute a K.S.A. 44-531 complete and full redemption.”

Lackey v. D & M Trucking, 687 P.2d 23 (Kan. Ct. App. 1984). “” K.S.A. 44-531 provides: “(a) Where all parties agree to the payment of all or any part of compensation due under the workmen’s compensation act or under any award or judgment, and where it has been determined at a hearing before the director or an assistant *681 director that…”

Redgate v. City of Wichita, 836 P.2d 1205 (Kan. Ct. App. 1992). “The respondent does cite K.S.A. 44-531 as authority for “[o]nce a settlement hearing is held pursuant to the requirements of K.”

— K.S.A. § 44-531(c) — 1 case

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.