Ongoing weekly benefits pay you a portion of your lost wages week by week while you are unable to work. A settlement, sometimes called a “clincher agreement” in South Carolina, is a lump-sum payment that resolves your claim in full and permanently closes out your right to future benefits under that claim. Settlements can sometimes be more advantageous, but they require careful evaluation because once you sign, you generally cannot go back for more. An attorney can analyze whether a settlement offer is fair relative to the full value of your anticipated future benefits, medical needs, and disability rating.