| 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 |
