Montana Workers’ Compensation Court
(No decisions reported during this period)
Montana Workers’ Compensation Stipulations Summary (through April 16, 2026)
PLAN 2
| Case Name | DOI | Body Part(s) | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Petitioner Attorney | Respondent Attorney |
| Donald Guerrero v. Liberty Mutual Ins. Co. | 6/26/23 | Low back | Full and Final – Medicals Closed | $115,214.78 | Brann, Aaron | Weber, Morgan
Browning, Kalecyzc, Berry & Hoven, PC |
| Stephen Thompson v. Ace American Ins. Co. / Albertson’s LLC | 9/28/24 | Right knee | Full and Final – Medicals Closed | $40,000.00 inclusive of $11,630.00 MSA | Carey, Steven
Carey Law Firm PC |
Smith, Charlie
Crowley Fleck PLLP |
| Terri Widdicombe v. AIU Ins. Co. | 5/6/22 | Left shoulder | Full and Final – Medicals Closed | $230,000.00 | Miller, Andrew
Miller Tourtlotte Law PLLC |
Potts, Adrianna
Potts Law PLLC |
PLAN 3
| Case Name | DOI | Body Part(s) | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Petitioner Attorney | Respondent Attorney |
| Daniel Rogers v. Montana State Fund | 9/25/23 | Low back, left knee | Full and Final – Medicals Closed | $1,500.00 | Miller, Megan
Fair Claim Attorneys |
Meyer, Mark
Montana State Fund |
ESD Settlements Approved through April 10, 2026
Plan 1
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney Name |
| Ellenwood, Tonia | 10/31/20 | Multiple head injury | Best Interests | $30,000.00 | Duckworth, Kiel |
| Smart, Adam | 5/17/21 | Low back | Best Interests | $11,000.00 | None |
Plan 2
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney Name |
| Anderson, Rick | 11/22/24 | Lower leg | Best Interests | $125,000.00 | Evans, Alex |
| Campbell, Tristen | 5/5/25 | Shoulder(s) | Petition for Settlement-Medicals Closed | $50,000.00 | Tempel-St.John, Stacy |
| Cebuhar, Nathan | 5/5/25 | Low back | Petition for Settlement-Medicals Closed | $25,000.00 | None |
| Little, Dana | 7/11/25 | Low back | Petition for Settlement – Medicals Closed | $95,000.00 | Lighthall, David |
| Robinson, Cid | 2/14/25 | Multiple body parts | Best Interests | $62,872.00 | Evans, Alex |
| Thompson, Byron | 2/7/23 | Shoulder(s) | Best Interests | $80,000.00 | Dalpiaz, Leslae |
Plan 3
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney Name |
| Armitage, Paul | 1/10/26 | Knee | Disputed Initial Compensability | $28,000.00 | None |
| Bond, Kacy | 6/1924 | Upper back | Best Interests | $9,000.00 | Miller, Andrew |
| Crow, Michael | 3/7/25 | Low back | Disputed Initial Compensability | $2,500.00 | Bulman, Thomas |
| Foster, Jerry | 2/14/25 | Upper back | Disputed Initial Compensability | $5,500.00 | None |
| Fuentes Martinez, Luis | 8/30/24 | Hand | Best Interests | $4,000.00 | None |
| Kerbaugh, Harvey | 12/10/24 | Ankle | Best Interests | $46,100.00 | None |
| Koontz Sanchez, Haylee | 9/18/25 | Skull | Best Interests | $1,700.00 | None |
| Lucas, Nathan | 1/20/23 | Knee | Best Interests | $3,000.00 | None |
| Miller, Stephanie | 5/14/19 | Knee | Best Interests | $120,000.00 | None |
| Parks, Ashley | 6/4/25 | Low back | Petition for Settlement – Medicals Closed | $22,000.00 | Tempel-St. John, Stacy |
| Stanton, Jennifer | 5/30/25 | Low back | Best Interests | $27,000.00 | Adam, Paul |
| Stradley, Cheryl | 12/28/25 | Low back | Disputed Initial Compensability | $750.00 | None |
| Thennis, Kaitlin | 1/3/24 | Upper back | Best Interests | $200,000.00 | Miller, Megan |
| Venegas, Everado | 4/17/25 | Knee | Best Interests | $1,000.00 | None |
| Wedderburn, Naji | 7/21/25 | Upper back | Disputed Initial Compensability | $1,100.00 | None |
5 Key Insights for Montana Work Comp Professionals
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No new reported WCC decisions this period
The Montana Workers’ Compensation Court reported no new decisions, meaning current guidance this cycle comes primarily from settlement activity rather than precedential litigation rulings. That often signals continued reliance on negotiation trends and prior case law.
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High-value Plan 2 stipulations remain active for orthopedic claims
The largest reported WCC stipulation was $230,000 for a left shoulder claim (Terri Widdicombe v. AIU), followed by $115,214.78 for a low back This suggests continuing premium settlement values for surgically significant shoulder and lumbar cases.
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Medicare Set-Aside (MSA) considerations continue to influence closures
One Plan 2 settlement included $11,630 MSA within a $40,000 global resolution. That indicates carriers still pricing CMS exposure into full-and-final settlements even on moderate-value files. Practitioners should continue screening Medicare interests early.
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ESD Plan 3 shows many low-dollar disputed compensability settlements
Several Plan 3 matters resolved for $750 to $5,500, labeled “Disputed Initial Compensability.” This suggests employers/uninsured risk pools are still using nuisance-value settlements to close liability disputes before litigation costs escalate.
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Low back injuries remain the most recurring settlement body part
Across both WCC stipulations and ESD approvals, low back claims appear repeatedly and at varying values—from $1,500 to six-figure exposures. For Montana professionals, lumbar claims remain a consistent driver of reserves, litigation, and settlement volume
