settlement-distribution

name	settlement-distribution
title	Settlement Distribution Statement
description	Drafts settlement distribution statements for personal injury cases with itemized accounting of gross proceeds, attorney fees, litigation costs, lien satisfactions, and net client payout. Enforces trust accounting compliance and reconciliation checks per Rules of Professional Conduct. Use when closing a PI matter, preparing disbursement sheets, or generating final case accounting.
author	CaseMark
author_url	https://github.com/CaseMark/skills/tree/main/skills/legal/settlement-distribution
license	Apache-2.0
version	0.1.0
execution_mode	open
jurisdiction	us
practice	personal-injury
language	en

Settlement Distribution Statement

Produces the final financial accounting of PI settlement proceeds — gross recovery through all deductions to net client payout — for client delivery, trust accounting compliance, and regulatory review.

Prerequisites

Gather before drafting:

• Executed settlement agreement (gross amount, allocation terms)
• Fee agreement (contingency %, sliding scales, caps, cost-advancement terms)
• Litigation cost ledger (date, vendor, description, amount per item)
• Lien resolution summary (original claim, negotiated amount, payment instructions per lienholder)
• Trust account confirmation (funds cleared and available)
• Client payment instructions (delivery method, split directions)

Distribution Table Template

SETTLEMENT DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
Matter: [Client Name] v. [Defendant(s)]
Matter No.: [#]
Date of Settlement: [Date]
Date of Statement: [Date]

ITEM                                          AMOUNT
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Gross Settlement Proceeds                 $__________

DEDUCTIONS:
  Attorney's Fees ([__]% per Fee Agreement
    dated [Date], ¶[__])                 ($__________)
  Litigation Costs (see Exhibit A)       ($__________)

  Lien Satisfactions:
    [Provider 1] — [type]               ($__________)
    [Provider 2] — [type]               ($__________)
  Subtotal Liens                         ($__________)

  Other Deductions:
    [Co-counsel referral / case funding] ($__________)

TOTAL DEDUCTIONS                         ($__________)
                                          ───────────
NET TO CLIENT                             $__________
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Exhibit A — Litigation Costs

Date	Vendor/Payee	Description	Amount
		Total Costs	$____

Output Format

Formal letter on firm letterhead addressed to client (full legal name, current address).

Section	Content
Opening	Acknowledge resolution, transition to financial accounting (2-3 sentences)
Distribution Table	Completed template above
Payment Details	Check number/wire confirmation, delivery method, expected date