Montana Workers’ Compensation Court
No new enumerated decisions this period.
Montana Workers’ Compensation Stipulations Summary (through March 26, 2026)
Plan 2
| Case Name | DOI | Body Part(s) | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Petitioner Attorney | Respondent Attorney |
| Christina Brammer v. AIU Ins. Co. | 10/22/24 | Back; left shoulder | Full and Final – Medicals Closed | $30,000.00 | Miller, Megan
FairClaim Lawyers |
Potts, Adrianna
Potts Law PLLC |
| Randy Kelley v. American Zurich Ins. Co. | 12/3/24 | Left knee | Full and Final – Medicals Closed | $45,000.00 | Helmer, Chris
Clark Fork Law Offices, PC |
Smith, Charlle
Crowley Fleck PLLP |
| Tristan Krissie v. XL Speciality Ins. Co. | 6/4/25 | Left Shoulder | Full and Final – Medicals Closed | $55,000.00 | Moore, Kraig
Law Office of Kraig Moore |
Smith, Charlie
Crowley Fleck PLLP |
| Dorothy Reznicsek v. AIU Ins. Co. | 12/24/20 | Right shoulder | Full and Final – Medicals Closed | $117,447.00
Incl. MSA allocation of $17,447.00 |
Duckworth, Kiel
Duckworth Law Office |
Potts, Adrianna
Potts Law PLLC |
Plan 3
| Case Name | DOI | Body Part(s) | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Petitioner Attorney | Respondent Attorney |
| Raymond Harris v. Montana State Fund | 11/5/24; | Left wrist and spine; | Full and Final – Medicals Closed | $45,000.00 | Blackaby, Dean
Montana Work Comp Solutions |
Coate, Erik
Montana State Fund |
| Samuel Leyba v. Montana State Fund | 10/7/25 | Right shoulder; | Full and Final – Disputed Initial Compensability | $20,000.00 | Dalpiaz, Leslae
Dalpiaz & Associates |
Meyer, Mark
Montana State Fund |
ESD Settlements Approved through March 20, 2026
Plan 1
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney |
| Berg, Rodney | 4/7/99 | Low back; | Best Interests | $8,500.00 | None |
| Crutcher, Alexis | 6/18/24 | Skulll | Best Interests | $22,500.00 | None |
| Marin, Amber | 10/24/22 | Shoulder(s); | Best Interests | $65,000.00 | Dalpiaz, Leslae |
| Sherman, Donna | 8/20/07; | Low back; | Best Interests | $30,000.00 | None |
Plan 2
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney |
| Abrahamson, Donovan | 12/27/23 | Low back; | Best Interests | $13,000.00 | None |
| Evans, Thomas | 11/15/24 | Shoulder(s); | Disputed Initial Compensability | $5,000.00 | None |
| Villagomez, Priscilla | 10/26/23 | Shoulder(s) | Best Interests | $68,279.00 | Doggett, Michael |
Plan 3
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney |
| Devincezi, Keith | 10/26/23 | Multiple lower extremities; | Petition for Settlement – Medicals Reserved | $67,000.00 | None |
| Dougherty, Savannah | 1/17/26 | Skull | Disputed Initial Compensability | $3,000.00 | None |
| Hoisington, Shawn | 9/2/21 | Upper back; | Best Interests | $500,000.00 | Stover, Shelby |
| Prillaman, Nicholas | 6/18/24 | Hand | Best Interests | $63,500.00 | None |
| Ramos, Jorge | 8/14/24 | Low back; | Disputed PT / Best Interests | $1,850.00 | None |
| Silberling, Robert | 8/1/24; | Hand | Disputed Initial Compensability; | $4,000.00 | None |
5 Key Insights for Montana Work Comp Professionals
-
No New WCC Decisions → Continued Reliance on Settlement-Driven Resolution
The report confirms no new enumerated decisions from the Montana Workers’ Compensation Court, reinforcing a continued trend where claims are being resolved administratively or via stipulation rather than litigation.
➡️ Practical takeaway: Attorneys should continue prioritizing early valuation, mediation, and settlement positioning, as precedential guidance is not expanding.
-
“Full & Final – Medicals Closed” Dominates Higher-Value Outcomes
All Plan 2 and Plan 3 stipulation cases reflect full and final settlements with medicals closed, with values ranging roughly from $20,000 to $117,447.
➡️ Insight:
- Closure of medical benefits continues to be the primary driver of higher settlement value
- Suggests insurers remain willing to pay premiums for certainty and finality
-
Shoulder and Back Injuries Continue to Anchor Mid-to-High Value Cases
Across stipulations and ESD settlements, shoulder and low back injuries appear most frequently, and consistently correlate with moderate to high settlement values.
➡️ Practical implication:
- These body parts remain high-leverage case types for valuation and negotiation
- Reinforces importance of impairment ratings and future medical exposure modeling
-
Significant Value Compression in Disputed Initial Compensability Cases
Disputed liability cases (especially in ESD approvals) show very low settlement values, often between $1,850 and $5,000, with occasional slightly higher outliers.
➡️ Insight:
- Clear bifurcation in value depending on acceptance vs. denial posture
- Early compensability determination remains the single most important value inflection point
-
Wide Variability in ESD Settlements—Including High-End Outliers
While many ESD settlements fall below $70,000, one case reached $500,000, creating a substantial outlier.
➡️ Interpretation:
- Indicates ESD approvals can still produce catastrophic-level settlements under the right facts
- Likely tied to severity, multiple body parts, or long-term exposure (e.g., lifetime care)
- Highlights importance of case screening and escalation protocols
Bottom-Line Strategic Takeaways
- Settlement remains the dominant resolution mechanism in Montana WC
- Medical closure + accepted claims = highest value band
- Compensability disputes sharply suppress value
- Outlier cases still exist—high exposure must be identified early
