Spreadsheet checks before running Structured Settlement in Kentucky

What the checker catches

DocketMath’s Spreadsheet checker for a Structured Settlement in Kentucky (US-KY) helps you catch spreadsheet issues that can quietly distort timing analysis—especially around the 5-year general statute of limitations period under KRS 500.020.

Kentucky’s general/default limitations period is 5 years. For this checker, no claim-type-specific sub-rule was identified, so the tool uses the general rule as the baseline rather than a specialized override. If your matter depends on a different, claim-type-specific limitations rule, you’ll need to reflect that in your spreadsheet inputs before you rely on the outputs.

Here are the main issues the checker is designed to flag before you run the Structured Settlement workflow:

• Wrong start date (or mixed date fields)

  • Common causes include using the wrong anchor date (for example, “date filed” instead of “date of accrual”), or pulling dates from different tabs where formats differ.
  • The checker validates that your “start date” column is consistent and recognized as a date.

• Off-by-one errors in elapsed time

  • Spreadsheet timing often involves calculations like “days elapsed” and then converting to “years.”
  • The checker checks that elapsed time is calculated consistently, avoiding problems like treating dates as text, rounding in unexpected ways, or defaulting values to zero.

• Out-of-range or missing duration values

  • If your sheet includes blanks, “N/A” text, or values outside the expected range for a duration field, downstream calculations can look “reasonable” but be misleading.
  • The checker highlights missing/invalid duration inputs so you can correct them before results are produced.

• Overlooking Kentucky’s general 5-year baseline

  • Many templates start from another jurisdiction or an older playbook and may carry a different “fallback” limitations period.
  • This checker applies Kentucky’s general SOL: 5 years under KRS 500.020 as the default when no more specific rule is provided.

• Inconsistent jurisdiction labeling across tabs

  • Multi-tab spreadsheets sometimes mix jurisdiction settings (for example, leaving one tab set to another state while another is set to Kentucky).
  • The checker confirms the run is configured for US-KY, not accidentally left on a prior jurisdiction.

Note (important): The checker uses Kentucky’s general 5-year SOL under KRS 500.020 as the default because no claim-type-specific limitation override was identified for this workflow. This is not legal advice—just a practical default to help keep your spreadsheet timing aligned. If a different limitations rule applies to your specific situation, adjust the inputs accordingly before running the Structured Settlement calculation.

When to run it

Run the checker right before you execute the Structured Settlement calculator in DocketMath—after you finish entering or updating the timing inputs, but before you finalize outputs that depend on them.

A practical schedule:

• After you copy data into the structured-settlement sheet

  • This is when date formatting issues and blank cells typically show up.

• Before you change assumptions

  • If you update an event date, accrual date, notice date, or any date that serves as a timing anchor, re-run the checker immediately.

• Before you export results or share a draft

  • Because Kentucky’s baseline is 5 years under KRS 500.020, even a relatively small change in the start date can move outcomes between “in range” and “out of range.”

Suggested workflow checklist:

• Confirm the spreadsheet is labeled US-KY
• Verify the limitations start date (your anchor date) is populated for every relevant row
• Confirm date fields are true dates, not text
• Ensure the computed elapsed time matches your expectation (days/years) and isn’t silently defaulting
• Re-run the checker after any edits to date fields

Try the checker

You can test this exact workflow in DocketMath by starting with the tool page here: DocketMath – /tools/structured-settlement.

When you run the Structured Settlement workflow for Kentucky (US-KY), set up your spreadsheet with these input expectations in mind:

Inputs to verify in your spreadsheet

• Event / accrual start date

  • This anchors the 5-year timing baseline under KRS 500.020 (the general/default rule).

• Any intervening milestone dates (if included)

  • If your sheet includes milestone dates, ensure they are populated and formatted consistently.
  • The checker may not interpret business meaning for every milestone, but it can still detect invalid or inconsistent date entries.

• Row coverage

  • Every row that feeds into settlement timing should have a start date.
  • Missing anchors can lead to partial results or skewed timing outputs without an obvious spreadsheet error.

How outputs change based on the checker results

If the checker finds an issue and you correct the inputs, you should expect one or more of the following:

• Timing outcomes may shift materially

  • Because Kentucky’s baseline is 5 years under KRS 500.020, fixing an off-by-one error or correcting a start date can flip a timing conclusion.

• Errors propagate less downstream

  • Missing/invalid dates or durations often cause cascading calculation problems; the checker helps you stop that chain earlier.

• Better consistency across tabs

  • Normalizing jurisdiction and date fields reduces the chance that one part of the sheet is using different assumptions than another.

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