Montana Workers’ Compensation Court
No new enumerated decisions this period.
Montana Workers’ Compensation Stipulations Summary (through Dec. 22, 2025)
PLAN 1
| Case Name | DOI | Body Part(s) | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Petitioner Attorney | Respondent Attorney |
| Mark Role v. Plum Creek Timber Co. / Weyerhaeuser Company | 1/1/2023 | Left Shoulder | Full & Final (disputed liability) | $65,000.00 | Kraig Moore,
Law office of Kraig Moore |
Charlie K. Smith,
Crowley Fleck, PLLP |
PLAN 2
| Case Name | DOI | Body Part(s) | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Petitioner Attorney | Respondent Attorney |
| Kennith Schmitt v. Zurich American Ins Co. | 7/13/2020 | Back | Full & Final (disputed liability) | $99,250.00 | Leslae Dalpiaz,
Dalpiaz & Associates |
Jon T, Dyre,
Crowley Fleck, PLLP |
| Matthew Schwedhelm v. Federated Mutual Ins. Co. | 12/9/2022 | Left shoulder, left hip, headache | Full & Final (disputed basis) | $225,000.00 | Stacy Tempel-St. John,
Fair Claim Lawyers |
Morgan Weber,
Browning, Kalecyzc, Berry & Hoven, P.C. |
PLAN 3
No reported stipulations this period.
ESD Settlements Approved through 12-19-25
Plan 1
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney Name |
| Brady, Mark | 8/25/2025 | Soft Tissue | Disputed Initial Compensability | $5,000.00 | Helmer, Chris |
| Brady, Mark | 5/20/2025 | Multiple Body Parts | Disputed Initial Compensability | $5,000.00 | Helmer, Chris |
| Anderson, Parker | 7/10/2025 | Multiple Head Injury | Disputed Initial Compensability | $1,000.00 | |
| Johnson, Julia | 4/21/2025 | Lower Back Area | Disputed Initial Compensability | $2,500.00 |
Plan 2
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney Name |
| Ginn, Jody | 4/4/2025 | Lower Back Area | Disputed Initial Compensability | $15,000.00 | Dalpiaz, Miranda |
| Hamburg, Harvey | 1/1/1999 | Lungs | Disputed Initial Compensability | $50,000.00 | Snipes, Ben |
| Masquelier, David | 11/21/2024 | Thumb | Petition – Medical Reserved | $86,000.00 | Blackaby, Dean |
| Gros Ventre, Tyson | 9/20/2023 | Lower Leg | Petition for Best Interest | $6,720.00 |
Plan 3
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney Name |
| Aguina, Lee | 10/17/2025 | Lower Back Area | Petition for Best Interest | $1,000.00 | |
| Few, Renee | 11/15/2024 | Lower Back Area | Petition for Best Interest | $51,500.00 | |
| Gonzales Hernandez, Melissa | 7/16/2024 | Upper Arm | Disputed Initial Compensability | $52,250.00 | Lighthall, David |
| Grijalva, George | 10/5/2021 | Knee | Petition for Best Interest | $12,500.00 | Blackaby, Dean |
| Hatt, Michael | 12/11/2023 | Lower Back Area | Petition for Best Interest | $182,000.00 | Olson, Wayne |
| Helms, Jennifer | 12/4/2024 | Foot | Petition for Best Interest | $4,500.00 | Murphy, Matthew |
| Holden, Michael | 7/19/2023 | Facial Bones | Petition for Best Interest | $15,000.00 | Olson, Wayne |
| Jaramillo, Anthony | 10/10/2023 | Lower Back Area | Petition for Best Interest | $30,000.00 | Olson, Wayne |
| Jordan, Trey | 4/22/2024 | Foot | Disputed Initial Compensability | $3,915.00 | Murphy, Matthew |
| Martin, Shawn | 4/5/2021 | Internal Organs | Disputed Initial Compensability | $5,000.00 | |
| Morrison, Andrew | 8/7/2023 | Upper Back Area | Petition – Medical Closed | $107,500.00 | Rasmusson, Eric |
| Robson, Rocky | 7/12/2005 | Upper Back Area | Petition for Best Interest | $31,500.00 | |
| Rose, Dwight | 6/10/2018 | Lower Back Area | Disputed Initial Compensability | $2,500.00 | |
| Scofield, Nathaniel | 12/13/2023 | Upper Back Area | Petition – Medical Closed | $165,000.00 | Field, Avery |
| Trexler, Mary | 3/18/2023 | Upper Back Area | Petition – Medical Closed | $15,000.00 |
5 Key Insights for Montana Work Comp Professionals
-
Disputed Liability Continues to Drive High-Value Full & Final Settlements
Even in the absence of enumerated Workers’ Compensation Court decisions, the stipulations reflect that disputed liability or disputed basis cases continue to resolve at substantial values, particularly under Plan 2, with settlements ranging from ~$99,000 to $225,000. This suggests insurers remain willing to pay premiums to avoid litigation risk where causation or compensability is uncertain.
-
Back and Shoulder Claims Dominate Both Frequency and Exposure
Across Plans 1–3 and ESD approvals, back-related conditions (upper and lower) and shoulder injuries appear most frequently and account for some of the largest settlement amounts, including multiple six-figure approvals. This reinforces the continued importance of medical causation analysis, impairment ratings, and future medical exposure in spinal and shoulder claims.
-
Plan 3 Shows the Widest Settlement Variability
Although Plan 3 includes relatively small “best interest” settlements (e.g., $1,000–$15,000), it also contains some of the largest ESD approvals in the dataset, including settlements exceeding $165,000 and $180,000. This wide variance highlights that Plan 3 claims can range from minor compromise cases to significant exposure matters, often tied to medical closure or long-term disability issues.
-
Disputed Initial Compensability Remains Common—but Often Resolves Cheaply
A notable number of ESD approvals across all plans are categorized as “Disputed Initial Compensability.” Many of these resolve at very modest dollar amounts ($1,000–$5,000), suggesting a strategic use of early compromise to limit defense costs and uncertainty, particularly in soft-tissue or multi-body-part allegations.
-
Experienced Repeat Attorneys Continue to Anchor High-Dollar Outcomes
Certain petitioner attorneys appear repeatedly in larger or more complex settlements, especially in Plan 2 and Plan 3 matters involving medical closure or best-interest petitions. For practitioners, this underscores how attorney experience, reputation, and case selection continue to influence settlement posture and valuation in Montana workers’ compensation claims.
