Based on an interview with Shawn Deane, General Counsel for Ametros
In 2010, Ametros was founded with a clear mission in mind: Support injured individuals through one of the hardest chapters of workers’ compensation – post-settlement – and do it with a level of empathy unmatched by any other organization in the industry.
At the time, Shawn Deane was working in Medicare/Medicaid compliance and policy. He followed Ametros since its inception, paying close attention to the organization’s mission and unique approach to helping injured individuals. After nearly a decade of continually being impressed with Ametros’ work, he got an opportunity to join the leadership team as general counsel and play a key role in their mission moving forward.
Fast forward four years, and like many of us, a career opportunity presented itself that Shawn could not pass up. With bittersweet emotion, he left Ametros – but he wasn’t gone for long. He quickly realized Ametros had a culture so special, he had to return. Less than two years later – in the summer of 2025 – Shawn resumed his role as general counsel at Ametros and has no plans of ever leaving.
Shawn reflected on how he felt when he originally joined Ametros. “Up until that point in my career, injured individuals were names and claim numbers on a piece of paper – workers’ compensation for me was purely technical.” He continued, “On my first day at Ametros, I had to shadow the customer support team as part of the onboarding process. That’s when it struck me – these individuals are really lost. Suddenly, workers’ compensation became so much more for me. There was a real human element to it.”
It was this feeling that brought Shawn back to Ametros. “This role was made for me,” he said.
Unlike traditional general counsel roles, Shawn counts himself fortunate to work across the organization on a variety of projects. Beyond his legal, compliance, and regulatory responsibilities, he touches everything from claims to vendor management – and he’s always conscious of how his work positively affects injured individuals.
“I know whatever I’m working on is going toward the benefit of something bigger than myself,” he said.
This crystalized for Shawn when he came up with the idea for “It’s Settled” – a monthly Ametros podcast dedicated to telling the stories of injured individuals. Shawn came up with the idea for the podcast during COVID when he was feeling disconnected from people. The project was his way of being a voice for injured individuals and their families. Today, he deems the project his biggest accomplishment since joining the organization.
“Injured individuals have a story we need to hear,” said Shawn. “I’ve had the opportunity to interview people who can’t walk anymore, people who have been burned beyond recognition, and even people who are living in such constant pain they don’t want to be around anyone. These stories have reinforced that workplace injuries are much more than physical – they have psychological impacts that can last a lifetime.”
The podcast has helped to inspire the industry, but it has also had a therapeutic effect on the people Shawn interviews. It’s a way for them to get their story out there and feel heard. By facilitating these conversations, Shawn feels he is reminding the industry why we do what we do – one story at a time.
Shawn’s passion for helping injured individuals hasn’t stopped with the podcast. He is always looking for new ways to positively impact their lives through his work.
Today, Ametros serves more than 38,000 injured individuals (its members) annually. Despite this impact, there is no limit to the amount of people Shawn – and the entire company – want to help. There are still a vast number of people who settle their work comp claims without being aware of the burden and obligations of properly administering their MSA, putting them at great risk of losing their Medicare benefits. Ametros plans to work even harder to reach these individuals directly – and lean into their team (vs. AI) to do so.
“I’m a firm believer that in any industry where you have people who have been seriously or catastrophically injured, you need people helping them,” said Shawn. “People need people.”
For his part, Shawn continues to be jazzed about coming to work every day.
“Everything I do is for the benefit of someone who has had the worst day of their life,” he said. “I am incredibly lucky to serve these individuals.”
Sometimes the workers’ compensation industry can be tough – its complexity, bureaucracy, and adversarial nature can be downright exhausting. But here’s a lesson for the industry – be like Shawn. If you make helping injured individuals the reason you come to work every day, you will quickly realize you work in one of the most inspiring, impactful industries around.
About Ametros
Ametros is the industry leader in professional administration of medical insurance claims settlements and is a subsidiary of Santander Bank, N.A. Based in Wilmington, Massachusetts, Ametros helps injured individuals manage their medical care and funds following a settlement, providing access to discounts, medical guidance, and compliance support.
