Montana Workers’ Compensation Court

No new enumerated decisions this period.

Montana Workers’ Compensation Stipulations Summary (through Feb. 5, 2026)

Plan 1

Plan 2

Plan 3

ESD Settlements Approved through Jan. 30, 2026

Plan 1

Plan 2

Plan 3

5 Key Insights for Montana Work Comp Professionals

1. Plan 2 continues to drive the highest settlement values, particularly where medicals are closed or MSAs are involved.

   The largest settlement in the dataset—$728,819.10 (with a $308,819.10 MSA)—falls under Plan 2 and reflects the continued premium placed on fully extinguishing lifetime medical exposure, especially in older DOI claims with multi-system involvement. This reinforces that Plan 2 remains the primary vehicle for high-dollar global resolutions.

2. Head, brain, and spine claims disproportionately command higher full-and-final values.

   Across Plans 2 and 3, settlements involving head, brain, cervical spine, or multi-level spinal injuries routinely exceed six figures when medicals are closed, while extremity-only claims (elbow, wrist, knee) cluster much lower. This continues to mirror impairment-driven valuation practices under Montana law and the heightened future-medical risk associated with neurologic claims.

3.  Medicals-reserved settlements remain common at moderate dollar levels, signaling strategic compromise rather than full closure.

   Several mid-range settlements ($43,000–$75,000) preserve future medical benefits while resolving indemnity exposure. This pattern suggests insurers are selectively reserving medicals in cases where treatment utilization is uncertain or where claimants retain ongoing functional capacity—particularly in head and spine cases that do not justify an MSA.

4. ESD “Best Interest” settlements skew low in Plan 3, highlighting limited exposure in minor or disputed claims.

   Plan 3 ESD settlements frequently fall below $5,000, with some as low as $250–$1,900, reflecting minimal permanent impairment, credibility disputes, or causation challenges. For practitioners, this underscores the continued effectiveness of early dispute resolution in low-exposure claims before medical complexity escalates.

5.  Disputed-initial claims still achieve meaningful resolution values when injury severity is substantiated.

   While many disputed-initial cases resolve at modest levels, notable exceptions—such as disputed low-back or internal-organ claims settling at $15,000–$50,000—demonstrate that carriers are willing to pay for risk mitigation when medical evidence supports compensability exposure. This reinforces the strategic importance of early medical development even in denied claims.