Since last week, Longshore practitioners have debated whether Section 8(i) settlement agreements can be automatically approved during the government shutdown.  Typically, all Longshore settlements are reviewed by the assigned district director.  The district director has thirty days to review the settlement.  If the settlement is reasonable, the district director issues a compensation order directing the parties to pay the amount identified in the order–most likely the same amount contemplated in the settlement agreement.  But what if the district director does not issue a compensation order within thirty days?  Or, as in this case, what if there are no district directors to issue compensation orders because of the government shutdown? Section 8(i) of the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (“LHWCA”) contains a provision that allows for automatic approval of settlements when all parties are represented by attorneys.  Specifically, Section 8(i) states: “If the parties to a settlement are represented by counsel, then agreements shall beRead more