Montana Workers’ Compensation Court Decisions
No new enumerated decisions since last publication.
Montana Workers’ Compensation Stipulations Summary (through Nov. 11, 2025)
| Plan Type | Case Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Petitioner’s Attorney | Respondent’s Attorney |
| 3 | Carrie Arndt v. Montana State Fund | May 14, 2025 | Left knee (ACL reconstruction) | Joint Stipulation for Dismissal (partial resolution) | $15,570.52 (closed period) | Thomas M. Murphy (Murphy Law Firm) | Erik Coate (Montana State Fund) |
| 3 | Randall Babbitt v. Montana State Fund | Feb 21, 2023 | Tailbone | Joint Petition and Stipulation for Entry of Judgment (full & final) | $50,000.00 (includes $2,050.79 MSA) | Thomas M. Murphy (Murphy Law Firm) | Mark Meyer (Montana State Fund) |
| 3 | Delbert Birchfield v. Montana State Fund | Jul 11, 2024 | Low back | Joint Petition and Stipulation for Entry of Judgment and Dismissal with Prejudice (full & final) | $100,000.00 | Leanora O. Overturf (Odegaard Law Group) | Haocheng Wang (Montana State Fund) |
| 3 | Corey T. Stelling v. Montana State Fund | Jun 27, 2022 | Lower back | Joint Petition for Approval of Stipulated Settlement Agreement (full & final) | $160,000.00 | Matthew J. Murphy (Murphy Law Firm) | Mark D. Meyer (Montana State Fund) |
| 3 | Joecee Shultz v. Montana State Fund | Dec 19, 2024 | Right arm | Joint Petition for Approval of Stipulated Settlement Agreement (full & final) | $54,000.00 | Matthew J. Murphy (Murphy Law Firm) | Erik Coate (Montana State Fund) |
| 2 | Serenity Ann Cole Hartz v. National Specialty Ins. Co. | Aug 21, 2025 | Head and neck | Joint Petition and Stipulation for Entry of Judgment (disputed liability) | $2,500.00 | Dalpiaz & Associates | Joe C. Maynard (Crowley Fleck PLLP) |
| 1 | Lori Hartford v. Montana Health Network | Apr 19, 2010 | Low back | Amended Joint Petition and Stipulation for Entry of Judgment (disputed liability w/ MSA) | $94,984.00 (includes $84,984 MSA) | — | Joe C. Maynard (Crowley Fleck PLLP) |
| 2 | Patricia J. Stewart v. Indemnity Ins. Co. of North America | Dec 28, 2024 & Mar 8, 2025 | Left knee | Joint Petition for Settlement and Entry of Judgment (disputed liability) | $2,500.00 | Odegaard Law Group | Joe C. Maynard (Crowley Fleck PLLP) |
| 2 | Marlene Warden v. Hartford Underwriters Ins. Co. | Dec 9, 2024 | Head | Joint Petition and Stipulation for Entry of Judgment (disputed liability) | $8,100.00 | Everett Cook Law, PLLC | Joe C. Maynard (Crowley Fleck PLLP) |
ESD Settlements Approved through 11-03-2025
Plan 1
(No settlements listed.)
Plan 2
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney Name |
| Dunigan, Jolene | 3/17/2025 | Shoulder(s) | Petition for Best Interest | $20,000.00 | Tourtlotte, Matthew |
| Roose, Brett | 1/18/2018 | No Physical Injury | Petition for Best Interest | $50,000.00 | Helmer, Chris |
| Swartz, Consuelo | 1/29/2024 | Lower Back Area | Disputed Initial Compensability | $5,000.00 | Duckworth, Kiel |
| Wallis, Kye | 12/12/2022 | Knee | Petition for Best Interest | $67,145.78 | Carey, Steve |
| Garrison, Jordan | 8/30/2025 | Elbow | Disputed Initial Compensability | $5,500.00 | — |
| Simpson, Trevor | 2/9/2024 | Skull | Petition for Settlement – Medical Reserved | $45,297.00 | — |
Plan 3
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney Name |
| Bishop, Duane | 4/6/2022 | Wrist | Petition for Settlement – Medical Reserved | $72,000.00 | Overturf, Lea |
| Bland, Anthony | 11/1/2024 | Son Tissue | Petition for Settlement – Medical Reserved | $97,000.00 | Braukmann, Matthew |
| Hershey, Anthony | 11/7/2023 | Skull | Petition for Best Interest | $10,000.00 | Miller, Megan |
| Lafromboise, Donald | 1/12/2023 | Lower Back Area | Petition for Settlement – Medical Closed | $55,000.00 | Tourtlotte, Matthew |
| Manning, Timothy | 11/25/2024 | Pelvis | Petition for Settlement – Medical Closed | $85,000.00 | Field, Avery |
| Nicoson, Louis | 10/24/2024 | Multiple Head Injury | Petition for Best Interest | $205,000.00 | Field, Avery |
| Ransom, Michael | 1/30/2024 | Ankle | Petition for Best Interest | $3,000.00 | Distefano, Francesca |
| Thibodeau-Jorgensen, Tanya | 11/5/2024 | Lower Back Area | Petition for Settlement – Medical Closed | $23,000.00 | Murphy, Matthew |
| Asuncion, Daphne | 6/15/2023 | Chest | Petition for Best Interest | $1,500.00 | — |
| Cooper-Davis, Colton | 7/25/2022 | Multiple Lower Extremities | Petition for Best Interest | $23,800.00 | — |
| Eckhart, Mildred | 4/19/2023 | Knee | Petition for Best Interest | $20,500.00 | — |
| Gilcher, Lisa | 12/14/2022 | Knee | Petition for Best Interest | $1,000.00 | — |
| Hollow Horn Bear, Wagacanwahpe | 7/12/2024 | Internal Organs | Petition for Best Interest | $5,000.00 | — |
| Miller, Jeffrey | 3/24/2024 | Multiple Upper Extremities | Petition for Best Interest | $1,300.00 | — |
| Southerland, McKenzie | 5/20/2025 | Foot | Petition for Best Interest | $900.00 | — |
| Wheeler, Cindy | 1/19/2023 | Knee | Petition for Best Interest | $2,750.00 | — |
| Shurtliff, Derek | 3/9/2023 | Lower Arm | Petition for Best Interest | $85,000.00 | — |
5 Key Insights for Montana Work Comp Professionals
(1) Concentration of Settlements Involving the Montana State Fund (Plan 3).
The vast majority of court-approved settlements in this reporting period involve the Montana State Fund as the respondent. This confirms its continued dominance in Montana’s claim resolution activity and provides a benchmark for evaluating negotiation and settlement trends across Plan 3 carriers.
(2) Average Settlement Values Vary Sharply by Claim Type.
- Full and final settlements with the State Fund range from $50,000 to $160,000, averaging around $95,000–$100,000.
- Disputed liability settlements or best-interest petitions in ESD (Employment Security Division) approvals tend to cluster below $25,000, with several below $5,000. This disparity illustrates how compensability disputes and medical reservation clauses materially affect value
(3) A Small Number of Claimant Attorneys Dominate Filings.
Firms such as Murphy Law Firm, Odegaard Law Group, and Crowley Fleck PLLP (defense) appear repeatedly. This concentration indicates that a limited set of practitioners handle most WCC settlements—useful intelligence for assessing negotiation tendencies and comparative settlement outcomes by counsel.
(4) Rise in “Medical Reserved” and “Disputed Liability” Language.
Several settlements (e.g., Bishop, Simpson, Bland, Lafromboise, Manning) expressly note “Medical Reserved” or “Disputed Initial Compensability.” This points to an emerging practice trend of closing indemnity while maintaining medical exposure or resolving contested coverage disputes without full liability admissions.
(5) Injury Distribution Highlights Recurring Body-Part Categories.Across both WCC and ESD approvals, lower back, knee, and head/neck injuries dominate filings. These mirror statewide frequency data and continue to drive the bulk of high-value settlements, suggesting ongoing focus areas for adjusters, IME scheduling, and medical-cost containment strategies.
