Montana Workers’ Compensation Court
(No decisions reported during this period)
Montana Workers’ Compensation Stipulations Summary (through April 30, 2026)
PLAN 2
| Case Name | DOI | Body Part(s) | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Petitioner Attorney | Respondent Attorney |
| Craig Barrus v. Employers Preferred Ins. Co. | 3/1/20 | Right shoulder | Full and Final – Medicals Closed | $27,500.00 | Lighthall, David
Carey Law Firm PC |
Smith, Charlie
Crowley Fleck PLLP |
| Zachariah Blackburn v. AIU Ins. Co. | 11/19/22 | Low back | Full and Final – Medicals Closed | $71,500.00 | Murphy, Tommy
Murphy Law Firm |
Adamek, Andy
Browning, Kaleczyc, Berry & Hoven PC |
| Rachel Davis v. Employers Preferred Ins. Co. | 5/2/25 | Shoulder | Full and Final – Medicals Closed | $20,000.00 | Blackaby, Dean; Wallace, Kevin
Montana Work Comp Solutions |
Bell, Tom
Laird Cowley PLLC |
| Oscar Perez v. National Liability & Fire Ins. Co. | 10/15/25 | Left hand | Full and Final – Disputed Initial | $135,000.00 | Murphy, Matthew
Murphy Law Firm |
Potts, Adrianna
Potts Law PLLC |
| Mary Ann Walker v. Hartfor Accident & Indemnity Co. | 9/12/24 | Right knee | Full and Final – Medicals Closed | $10,000.00 | Tourtlotte, Matt
Miller Tourtlotte Law PLLC |
Maynard, Joe
Crowley Fleck PLLP |
PLAN 3
| Case Name | DOI | Body Part(s) | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Petitioner Attorney | Respondent Attorney |
| Logan Lester v. Montana State Fund | 8/20/24 | Thoracic and lumbar spine | Full and Final – Medicals Closed | $80,000.00 | Evans, Alex
Glacier Law Firm |
Coate, Erik
Montana State Fund |
ESD Settlements Approved through April 24, 2026
PLAN 1
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney Name |
| Braaten, Alecia | 12/21/25 | Multiple | Best Interests | $75,000.00 | Olson, Wayne |
| Newman, Nicole | 7/2/24 | Elbow | Petition for Settlement – Medicals Closed | $78,893.92 | Overturf, Greg |
| Tipton, William | 12/1/24 | Foot | Best Interests | $10,000.00 | None |
PLAN 2
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney Name |
| Holmes, Vicki | 12/24/24 | Foot | Petition for Settlement – Medicals Closed | $42,500.00 | Murphy, Tommy |
| Ketron, Timothy | 9/23/23 | Lower arm | Petition for Settlement – Medicals Closed | $35,975.00 | Rasmusson, Erik |
| Louden Critelli, Ginger | 10/27/23 | Knee | Best Interests | $20,000.00 | None |
| Smith, Brian Jr. | 12/21/20 | Low back | Best Interests | $65,677.20 | Dalpiaz, Leslae |
| Tino, Dion | 1/22/24 | Upper arm | Best Interests | $80,000.00 | Blackaby, Dean; Wallace, Kevin |
PLAN 3
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney Name |
| Abbott, Alexi | 11/26/25 | Soft Tissue | Disputed Initial Compensability | $3,000.00 | None |
| Garner, Monique | 12/21/25 | Elbow | Disputed Initial Compensability | $3,990.00 | None |
| Gravier, Colby | 7/21/25 | Foot | Best Interests | $35,000.00 | Overturf, Greg |
| Leitner, Steven | 3/15/25 | Upper back | Best Interests | $500.00 | None |
| Lemirande, Chris | 9/30/25 | Pelvis | Best Interests | $6,500.00 | None |
| Luchsinger, China | 10/10/25 | Knee | Disputed Initial Compensability | $15,000.00 | Murphy, Tommy |
| Maul, Savannah | 11/18/25 | Skull | Best Interests | $6,000.00 | None |
| Pollard, Harry | 11/3/25 | Skull | Disputed Initial Compensability | $16,750.00 | None |
| Smith, Jacob | 3/17/25 | Upper back | Best Interests | $10,000.00 | None |
| Solano, Penney | 6/20/24 | Upper back | Best Interests | $12,000.00 | Miller, Megan |
| Synness, Stacey | 12/12/25 | Knee | Disputed Initial Compensability | $15,502.00 | None |
| Vance, Alex | 8/20/25 | Upper back | Disputed Initial Compensability | $11,000.00 | Adam, Paul |
| Weisert, Brandon | 9/27/24 | Skull | Best Interests | $50,000.00 | Murphy, Matthew |
Key Insights for Montana Work Comp Professionals
1. No Recent Workers’ Compensation Court Decisions
- The file reflects zero reported decisions from the Montana Workers’ Compensation Court during this period, indicating:
- Continued heavy reliance on settlement resolution rather than litigation.
- Likely predictability in claim valuation frameworks, reducing the need for adjudication.
-
“Full & Final – Medicals Closed” Remains the Dominant Resolution Structure
- Across Plan 2 and Plan 3 stipulations, the overwhelming majority of cases resolved via:
- Full & Final settlements with medicals closed
- This reinforces:
- Carrier preference for closing long-term exposure
- Claimant-side success in monetizing future medical risk into lump sums
-
Clear Stratification in Settlement Values by Claim Type
- High-value settlements:
- Typically involve disputed liability or significant injuries (e.g., $135,000 hand claim; $80,000 spine claim)
- Low-value settlements:
- Frequently tied to Plan 3 disputed initial compensability claims, often:
- $500 – $16,750 range
- Frequently tied to Plan 3 disputed initial compensability claims, often:
- Insight:
- There is a well-defined valuation gap between compensability disputes vs. accepted claims
-
Plan 3 Cases Show High Volume of Unrepresented Claimants
- A substantial portion of Plan 3 settlements list:
- “None” under attorney representation
- Implications:
- These cases likely resolve:
- Quickly
- At lower dollar values
- Suggests an opportunity for claimant attorneys to:
- Capture early-stage disputed claims
- Potentially increase value through representation
- These cases likely resolve:
-
Repeat Players Dominate Both Sides of the Bar
- Certain attorneys and firms appear repeatedly:
- Claimant side: Murphy Law, Montana Work Comp Solutions, Glacier Law
- Defense side: Crowley Fleck, Browning Kaleczyc, Laird Cowley
- Insight:
- Montana workers’ comp practice remains highly concentrated
- Likely contributes to:
- Efficient settlements
- Predictable negotiation ranges based on counsel familiarity
